It will be difficult to break through the Edmonton Oilers, losers of the last Stanley Cup final, particularly in attack, and Quebecer Raphaël Lavoie could pay the bill if he does not get the favor of head coach Kris Knoblauch.
The 23-year-old certainly helped his cause a bit by scoring on a power play in the third period of Sunday’s preseason game, a 3-2 overtime win over the Winnipeg Jets. However, a spot on the Oilers’ top two lines early in the season appears out of reach; at right wing, Zach Hyman and newcomer Viktor Arvidsson already have a spot secured.
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As for lines 3 and 4, Lavoie’s profile, known more for his offensive qualities, may work against him. A veteran like Corey Perry has proven his usefulness many times when it comes to distracting the opponent.
Consequently, if the second-round pick in the 2019 draft fails in his quest at training camp, a demotion to the Bakersfield Condors in the American Hockey League seems the most logical scenario… if he is not claimed on waivers. Because indeed, the author of a 50-point harvest in 66 games with the farm club last season will have to be made available to other National Hockey League (NHL) teams if he is sold to the lower level.
“They’re a Stanley Cup contender. There are so many good players. I’ll try to grab a spot and of course, it won’t be easy. The Oilers are one of the best teams in the league, but that’s part of the business. It’s hard to reach the NHL,” the Chambly player told the daily. Edmonton Sun.
“You keep pushing and eventually you’ll get more minutes in the league. But you can’t expect to play 20 minutes right away. You have to earn that playing time.”
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If this can reassure Lavoie somewhat, it seems to have attracted Knoblauch’s attention.
“Last season, we didn’t have many injuries and he didn’t get to play a lot of games at home. However, Raffi is a strong hockey player. It’s difficult to take the puck away from him. That’s an asset, but we also look at his speed, what he does on the forecheck. Those are tools to add to the rest,” the pilot said.
In 2023, the name of the former Halifax Mooseheads and Chicoutimi Saguenéens was put on waivers before being sent to Bakersfield.
