Edmonton Oilers’ prospect Raphael Lavoie recently signed a one-year two-way contract extension with the club worth $874,125. The 22-year-old led the Bakersfield Condors with 22 goals last season, and with Edmonton’s limited cap space this season, it would be a huge plus for the team if Lavoie is ready to take the next step to play in the NHL.
With that in mind, below are four interesting facts to get acquainted with the Oilers’ prospect that’s eager to leave his mark in the bottom six.
Lavoie Set a QMJHL Record During the 2017-18 Season
During Lavoie’s second season of junior hockey with the Halifax Mooseheads in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), he had a big spike in offensive production where he was nearly a point-per-game (P/G) and recorded 30 goals, 33 assists in 68 games, after only recording nine points in his first season.
Related: Oilers’ Prospect Lavoie Has Great Chance to Make NHL Roster
Yet, what’s more striking is that during the 2017-28 season, he set a QMJHL record for scoring six overtime goals, which included an incredible stretch of four OT winners from Jan. 6 to Jan. 13, 2018.
Given Lavoie’s previous experience of coming through in crucial moments with timely scoring, the hope is that he can continue to do so in the NHL. The Oilers are in need of bottom-six forwards that can contribute on the scoresheet, and his ability to score with the game on the line, if he makes the team, would be a real asset in a tight-checking playoff matchup.
Lavoie Set a Mooseheads Record for Most Goals Scored in Playoffs
During the 2018-19 regular season with the Mooseheads, Lavoie scored 32 goals and 41 assists in 62 games and he followed that up with a spectacular postseason performance.
The forward exploded when the playoffs began, scoring 20 goals and 32 points in 23 games, and was pivotal in helping Halifax reach the QMJHL Final, despite losing to Rouyn-Noranda in Game 6. Moreover, the Mooseheads were Memorial Cup finalists that season, where Lavoie recorded three points in four games.
However, during the 2019 Playoffs, Lavoie’s 20 goals became, and still is, a Mooseheads team record, surpassing Stefan Fournier (16 goals) for the lead and also notable players like Jonathan Drouin (13 goals) and Nathan Mackinnon (13 goals).
Lavoie Won a Prestigious Award in the QMJHL
Lavoie had an incredible 2018-19 campaign where he recorded 73 points in 62 regular season games. When the season was completed, including the playoffs and the Memorial Cup, the stat line showed that he tallied 54 goals and 54 assists in 89 total games.
With his efforts and offensive exploits, he won the Mike Bossy Award, which is awarded annually to the player in the QMJHL judged to be the best professional prospect.
Also, to touch on the incredible talent that the Mooseheads’ organization has produced in recent memory, at the time, he was the sixth Moosehead to win the award in seven seasons, joining the likes of Drouin, Nikolaj Ehlers, Timo Meier, Nico Hischier and Filip Zadina to earn the prestigious honour. As well, some notable recipients of the award in years past were Sean Couturier in 2010-11, Sidney Crosby in 2004-05, Vincent Lecavalier in 1997-98, and Mario Lemieux in 1983-84.
And as a final touch on a fine 2018-19 season, Lavoie was selected by the Oilers 38th overall at the NHL Draft in June of that year.
Lavoie Has Represented Team Canada
The native of Chambly, Quebec has represented his country and played on Team Canada on several occasions. He was selected to the 2018 World U18 Championship in Russia and he grabbed the attention of many scouts by scoring five goals in five games and was selected as the player of the game in an upset win over Team USA.
Moreover, he won gold with Team Canada at the 2020 World Junior Hockey Championship in Czechia. While he was predominantly known as a scorer with his junior club in Halifax, he embraced primarily a checking role for Canada, while contributing two assists in the tournament.
Lavoie described the shift of adopting a more defensive focus when he said, “It started at the World Juniors.” He added, “I was put into a more defensive role, so I needed to adjust my game. I feel like that stayed when I went back to [the QMJHL].”
The shift to a more defensive role at the World Juniors could prove advantageous for Lavoie in the long run. The Oilers are set in the top six for the near future, but there’s a definite need for defensive-minded forwards in the bottom six that can score timely goals.
Although he was known as a scorer in junior, if Lavoie tops out to be a consistent 15-goal-a-season player in a bottom-six role in the coming seasons, that would be a massive boost for the Oilers.
What is your prediction for Lavoie in the 2023-24 season? Does he make the Oilers or does he play in Bakersfield? Have your say in the comments below!