The Edmonton Oilers are facing a critical pressure point when it comes to Raphael Lavoie

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Joshua Deeds
September 30, 2023 (4:25 PM)

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In the off-season, the Edmonton Oilers focused on building a Stanley Cup-caliber roster.

This will be the first time in a long time that the team hasn't dedicated an entire 82-game season to developing rookies, but it will happen in 2023.

The team may, however, make a mistake by sending away Lavoie. In the NHL, Oilers forwards who were drafted to be sent away have a low success rate.

Because of the Oilers' cap constraints, with a 21-player roster, it leaves Lavoie ripe for another NHL team to acquire him.

He has been a skilled, goal-scoring forward since he was a junior and has continued into the AHL. According to Scott Powers of The Athletic, Lavoie is skilled enough to create offense regardless of the line or minutes he is assigned.

Considering Lavoie's shot rate in the AHL, he would be a great addition to a skilled line in the big leagues. It remains to be seen whether Lavoie's investment will prove fruitful.

Ken Holland, who arrived in 2019, has always sold assets to win a Stanley Cup, and this year is no different. While the GM failed to sign meaningful prospects, the results of his trades have been unsatisfactory.

Depending on how he develops in the NHL, Lavoie could be a significant trade bait for a team if he receives proper NHL exposure. It seems reasonable that Lavoie will make the NHL this season, given his pre-season play.

The depth options on the team will remain interesting if he swims, due to competition with Dylan Holloway and Warren Foegele.

If he sinks, he could be sent down, while risking it or they could send Holloway down, despite his great performance in the pre-season so far, and keep Lavoie safe.

In addition to Mattias Janmark and Derek Ryan, Lavoie could make many of the depth forwards into asset accumulators as well.

Regardless, Lavoie's ascendancy puts the team in a bind.

As Seen On: theathletic.com