EDMONTON, CANADA - OCTOBER 15: Connor McDavid #97 and Leon Draisaitl #29 of the Edmonton Oilers discuss the play during the game against the Calgary Flames on October 15, 2022 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Andy Devlin/NHLI via Getty Images)
23 year old forward Raphael Lavoie was forced to leave practice midway through today’s session, according to reports from the Athletic’s Daniel Nugent-Bowman. He was scheduled to play in tomorrow’s game in Winnipeg, but now will be scratched. After practice, Coach Knoblauch said Lavoie will be back on the ice soon, so thankfully it doesn’t appear to be a serious injury.
This injury comes at a brutal time for Lavoie though, who has been a standout player in training camp. Lavoie scored a goal in the first preseason game against the Winnipeg Jets, and got multiple great shots off while playing on a line with Leon Draisaitl against the Calgary Flames. Multiple insiders are saying Lavoie’s play is pushing him towards a spot on the NHL roster. Missing a few crucial days in training camp while making great strides is a really tough break. Jim Matheson said that if Lavoie misses any more than a week, his camp could be all for naught.
Lavoie was selected by the Edmonton Oilers in the second round of the 2019 Draft, and has really started to find his offensive game in the last few years. In 66 games with the Bakersfield Condors last year, Lavoie scored an incredible 28 goals and 50 points. He has clear offensive talent and is often able to find some open space from defenders to unleash his wicked shot.
Realistically, Lavoie may have a tough time breaking into the Oilers roster on the fourth line in a checking role. He’s an offensive player that needs some opportunities, so when he is called up, he’ll play higher up in the lineup. If there’s ever an injury to a top six forward this season, Lavoie will be a prime candidate to be a temporary replacement.
For now, hopefully Lavoie is able to rest and recover quickly to get back in training camp to pick up where he left off. Any fringe player at camp this year sees an opportunity to make the roster of a team destined for another long playoff run, and they’ll surely be hungry to grab it.
