Oilers preseason standout Raphael Lavoie out with injury
The Edmonton Oilers will be without one of their preseason standouts after suffering an injury.
Raphael Lavoie took to the ice at Rogers Place this morning, skating with a group made up of mostly AHL and junior players. Yet, not long after taking to the ice, the 23-year-old Lavoie left abruptly and did not come back.
Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch confirmed after practice that Lavoie has been sidelined with a lower-body injury.
“I just got the update as I was leaving the ice,” Knoblauch said. “It doesn’t look like he’ll be playing tomorrow, just a couple days rest, and I think he’ll be back on the ice on Friday.”
Raphael Lavoie is suffering from a lower-body injury and will not play tomorrow#Oilers HC Kris Knoblauch said Lavoie was supposed to play.l but will be held out to deal with the injury.
No specifics on what the actual issue is and how severe.
— Preston Hodgkinson (@NHLHodgkinson) September 24, 2024
Knoblauch added that the initial plan was for Lavoie to suit up for tomorrow night’s preseason game against the Winnipeg Jets, but that will no longer be the case.
Lavoie has once again looked good at Oilers training camp, showcasing a heavy shot and getting more involved on the forecheck as well as picking up his defensive play. He was rewarded for his efforts with a nice goal against the Jets on Sunday night and could have had multiple goals against the Calgary Flames on Monday night if it weren’t for the heroics of goaltender Devin Cooley.
Raphael Lavoie hammers home his first of the pre-season 💥 https://t.co/tumeWmuEGV pic.twitter.com/eRtmzDUKVz
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) September 23, 2024
There is no question that Lavoie carries around an NHL-calibre shot, but the knock on his game has always been his speed. While he looks a bit faster than in previous years, there isn’t exactly a solid spot in the Oilers lineup that he can easily shift into. Edmonton’s top three lines are seemingly set, and there is little to no chance he’ll get any powerplay time in the NHL.
This would relegate him to a fourth-line role where he would get limited minutes, which is not ideal for a player of his style.
If he can come back from this injury sooner rather than later, Lavoie is a good bet to get a long look for the remainder of the preseason. Still, unless a new opportunity suddenly opens up, the odds are not looking good for the Chambly, Quebec native.