Edmonton Oilers recall former second-round pick

The Edmonton Oilers have announced they have recalled forward Raphael Lavoie from their AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors. Although not confirmed, it is likely due to the apparent injury to forward Connor Brown in last night’s game against the Dallas Stars, causing him to leave the rest of the game in the second period.

In what will only be the second callup of his young career, Lavoie has been one of the better-performing members of the Condors over the last several seasons. A second-round pick by the Oilers in the 2019 NHL Draft, Lavoie has amassed a total of 141 games for Bakersfield, scoring 47 goals and 41 assists.

Given that the team only has 12 forwards on their active roster, if Brown is unable to play tomorrow against the Nashville Predators, Lavoie will be guaranteed to make his NHL debut. In all honesty, it may not be the worst idea in the world for the Oilers to add a different player to their bottom six, as the current group at the bottom of the forward core has yet to deliver in any meaningful way to start the season.

With a large frame and a more-than-ready NHL shot, Lavoie could have some staying power with Edmonton for much of the season. However, his foot speed leaves a lot to be desired, and he has appeared to take a handful of games off with Bakersfield over the last several years.