A contending team has reportedly screwed the Edmonton Oilers with a surprising waiver claim

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Tom Banks
October 9, 2024 (4:50 PM)

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The Edmonton Oilers reclaimed Raphael Lavoie on Wednesday, but after a move from a contending rival, they'll be forced to make a move they didn't intend on making.

This past week has been a nightmare for the Edmonton Oilers on waivers, as the division rival Vegas Golden Knights claimed one of their young forwards in Raphael Lavoie after he was placed on waivers over the weekend. This was a major miss for Oilers GM Stan Bowman, but not 24 hours later, the team had another chance at Lavoie, as the Golden Knights placed him back on waivers, with many expecting the Oilers to bring him back into the fold.

On Wednesday, that news was confirmed by NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman, with the standout 24-year old forward once again a big part of the Oilers roster, but this time, it came with a catch.

According to Oilers reporter Jason Gregor, a team that finished about Edmonton in the standings (meaning one of Vancouver, Boston, New York, Winnipeg, Carolina, Florida, Dallas or Colorado) placed a claim for Lavoie, meaning major implications for the Oilers. Because of this, Lavoie cannot be sent directly to the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL, but would indeed need to pass through waivers again, and given that there was interest in him, it would be a huge risk for the Oilers.

At 24-years of age, Lavoie still has a bright future in the NHL, with Edmonton seemingly patient with his development, and with the team wanting to likely bring him up later in the year or leave him in the AHL for depth, they have an important decision to make. Whatever happens, they are at risk of losing one of their top prospects, but with players like Derek Ryan in the NHL that could potentially be waived, this may ultimately be the way that Lavoie finds himself inserted into an NHL lineup.