Edmonton Oilers lose forward Raphael Lavoie on waivers

Vegas snagged Lavoie, and they also picked up Cole Schwindt from the Calgary Flames. In exchange, the Knights let Zach Aston-Reese be picked up by the Columbus Blue Jackets, while the Anaheim Ducks snagged veteran goaltender James Reimer from the Buffalo Sabres, a must after losing injured starter John Gibson to begin the season.

The 23 year-old forward, who was taken by the Oilers in the second round of the 2019 NHL Draft, and was resigned this Summer has shown promise in the minors. Lavoie is 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, with a solid shot, proving it when he scored 25 goals in the 2022-23 season and 28 in the following year with the Bakersfield. Condors. But despite his potential, he never got the chance to prove himself in Edmonton. He only played seven games last season, averaging just over seven minutes of ice time, and was held off the scoresheet.

Coming into this year's training camp, Lavoie was fighting for a spot on the fourth line, but the Oilers decided to stick with veterans Corey Perry and Derek Ryan instead.

It's a tough break, especially since he had a decent preseason. Now, he'll be competing for a spot on Vegas' fourth line, and we'll see if he can finally find his footing there.

It's frustrating as Oilers fans because Lavoie is just the latest in a string of top draft picks to leave the team. They already lost Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway to the St Louis Blues earlier this Summer, and Xavier Bourgault was traded to the Ottawa Senators.

Oil Country never got the chance to see what Raffy could bring to the table. Hopefully, this doesn't come back to haunt GM Stan Bowman down the line. None of this is personal though because hockey is a business too. He should receive a warm ovation upon his return to Rogers Place.