Edmonton Oilers forward prospect Raphael Lavoie didn’t exactly light up the preseason last September, but he certainly made enough noise by scoring a couple of goals and showing off his hard shot for some of the Oilers’ fan base to cause a stir when he didn’t make the big club and was sent down to the American Hockey League (AHL).
Yet, Lavoie was recalled to the Oilers on Nov. 3 and his stint in the NHL was so-so. He played in six games, recorded zero points and had a minus-2 plus/minus rating. However, he had decent moments with the puck and threw some hits, and while it looked like he may have been a step behind, he looked more comfortable on the ice every game he played.
Related: Oilers Game-by-Game Preview of Crucial December Homestand
In Lavoie’s short time in the NHL, he averaged only 7:36 a game and was sent back down to the Bakersfield Condors on Nov. 14. It was the right move because he needed to play more and since then he’s climbed to the top of team scoring with nine points. On top of that, it was revealed recently that the Oilers’ prospect requested a bigger role on the team, which could ultimately help his chances of becoming an NHL regular one day.
Lavoie Approached His Coach for a New Role
The Condors’ head coach Colin Chaulk, who has been the permanent bench boss of the Oilers’ minor league team since June 2022, was recently on the “Oilers Now” show with Bob Stauffer and they discussed Lavoie’s play since returning to the AHL. Chaulk stated that Lavoie approached him in his office asking for more responsibilities, saying:
“[Lavoie] came in my office last week and he said ‘Chaulker, I need to find a role if I’m going to get called back up and I know I’m an impact guy here and I can score goals.’ Before he got called up, he was a man versus boys, he was that dominating offensively, he had some sniffles in the defensive game like all young players, but he asked me you know, ‘I’d like chance to kill penalties.’ So, he did a really good job [at it].”
– Colin Chaulk
Chaulk stated that he started using him on the penalty kill afterwards. That said, instead of sulking because of his demotion to the AHL, Lavoie has taken the extra step to stand out, which shows maturity and also a reflection of his character. He likely sees the writing on the wall that there’s a chance he might not pan out as a top-six forward in the NHL and adding another tool to his toolbox, like the ability to kill penalties, is an excellent way to show the Oilers’ brass that he’s not just a one dimensional forward.
Lavoie’s Desire to Kill Penalties Echoes a Former Oiler
Nonetheless, Lavoie’s willingness to want a bigger role and carve a niche at the NHL level is reminiscent of former Oiler Andrew Cogliano, who was drafted 25th overall by Edmonton in 2005 and was known as an offensive-minded player when he was a star at the University of Michigan.
Cogliano scored 45 points in his rookie season, but his play started to regress during the 2009-10 season. In addition, the Oilers had young guns like Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle that arrived to spark the team’s offence and as a result, he asked for a role on the penalty kill and the following season he played over 200 shorthanded minutes and forged a great NHL career as a two-way specialist with over 1,200 games played.
That said, Cogliano was always known for his speed, something Lavoie does not have, but it shows that it’s perfectly normal for former offensive star players to tweak their game aiming to stay, or break into the NHL, as Lavoie was an offensive stand out himself, scoring 227 points in 217 games in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMHJL).
Lavoie May Not Get Another Recall to the Oilers This Season
The question now for Lavoie is whether he’ll get another shot in Edmonton’s lineup again this season. As mentioned, in his cup of coffee in the NHL last November, he didn’t register any points playing mostly against the opposition’s bottom six in six games. Moreover, his 5-on-5 analytics, as reflected below from Natural Stat Trick, were underwhelming.
| Corsi | Shots-For- Percentage | Scoring-Chances-For-Percentage | High Danger-Chances-For-Percentage |
| 46.43% | 43.18% | 43.90% | 33.33% |
At this point, if the Oilers are set on making the playoffs, every single point from here on out matters, and they, unfortunately, don’t have time to ease their prospects in and wait for them to adjust to NHL speed. Instead, their other bottom-six forwards like James Hamblin, Sam Gagner and Adam Erne, have stepped up and provided either offence, defensive responsibility or physicality, meaning despite Lavoie’s eagerness to take on additional responsibilities, the likelihood of him reaching the NHL again this season seems doubtful, barring significant injuries.
The signs point towards Lavoie spending the season in the AHL and there’s a chance he’ll be ready to join the Oilers next season, armed with a new skill set. Alternatively, it’s the worst-kept secret that the Oilers are in the hunt for a goaltender, and Lavoie, who leads the Condors in points, could also be a piece that’s moved to fill their needs.
What’s your outlook for Lavoie this season? Should he stay in the AHL or does he deserve another chance with the Oilers? Have your say in the comments below!