Oilers forward suffers lower-body injury and will miss time

One of the more promising Edmonton Oilers to this point in preseason has fallen to injury: Raphael Lavoie. Lavoie was taking part in a practice at Rogers Place made up of mostly AHL and junior players when he left the ice just minutes into the on-ice proceedings and did not return. At just 23 years young, that's an awfully quick exit.

Head coach Kris Knoblauch confirmed after practice that Lavoie has a lower-body injury, and will be out for the foreseeable future. Originally, Lavoie was going to play in the upcoming preseason game against the Winnipeg Jets. That has been scratched due to this setback. He will be a big absence, as he has been trending up in camp.

Through training camp, the positives on Lavoie's ledger have included a hard shot, improved defensive work, and a more physical presence on the forecheck. He even scored a notable goal against the Jets and had a handful of near-goals in a game against the Calgary Flames if not for the stellar play of goaltender Devin Cooley. Obviously, the offensive skill set is there for Lavoie, but there's still a question mark around his overall fit with the team.

Speed was always the one thing that held Lavoie back from securing a solid position within the Oilers. While he has indeed improved somewhat in this regard, there is still quite a bit of competition for his roster spot. The top three lines are quite solid, and with very little chance for powerplay time, Lavoie's role would likely be relegated to a fourth-line position, a situation that doesn't fully fit his playing style.

While Raphael Lavoie has flashed his NHL-level talent, the injury combined with the team's depth suggests that the forward's road to making the roster in the regular season remains cloudy. He will likely get another opportunity to show what he can do if he is back on the ice quickly, but his future in Edmonton will likely remain uncertain unless there is an unexpected opening.