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Vegas Successfully Steals Raphael Lavoie From Edmonton

Trey Daubert / NHL / October 12, 2024

Vegas Successfully Steals Raphael Lavoie From Edmonton

Raphael Lavoie has been passed around like a hot potato on the waiver wire but in the end, the Golden Knights come out on top again. It was a total masterclass move by Vegas general manager Kelly McCrimmon and it needs to be talked about further. If Lavoie ever turns into an impact player, VGK fans can thank McCrimmon for being a relentless prick (in a good way).

If you have no idea what I’m talking about right now, let’s go through the timeline here piece by piece:

Raphael Lavoie’s wild waiver week continues

Oct. 6: Placed on waivers by Edmonton
Oct. 7: Claimed on waivers by Vegas
Oct. 8: Placed on waivers by Vegas
Oct. 9: Claimed on waivers by Edmonton
Oct. 10: Placed on waivers by Edmonton
Oct. 11: Claimed on waivers by Vegas
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) October 11, 2024

Yes, somehow all of this actually happened. The only difference is Vegas got the last laugh because they had some help along the way.

Update..Another team (higher than them in standings last season) put in a claim on Lavoie, so he can't go directly to AHL. He is on Oilers roster. https://t.co/INC5guJoil
— Jason Gregor (@JasonGregor) October 9, 2024

I don’t have total confirmation on this, but if you read between the lines, McCrimmon had another team claim Lavoie so that Edmonton couldn’t send him to the AHL after claiming him back from Vegas. That same team (whoever they are) then didn’t put in a claim once Vegas claimed him back. The saga is now over as Vegas successfully swiped Lavoie and have sent him down to the AHL.

The Golden Knights claimed forward Raphael Lavoie off waivers and have assigned him to the @HSKnights of the AHL. #VegasBorn | #ForgeTheKnight
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) October 11, 2024

I don’t have confirmation on this part either but it’s pretty obvious that rival teams are not happy with Stan Bowman. Bowman is back in the league after that Blackhawks scandal. Since taking over the Oilers, he’s now been hit with the offer sheets on Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway. Now this with a rival team helping Vegas of all teams steal a young prospect from them.

Vegas Golden Knights 2024-25 NHL Season Preview

The Oilers only have themselves to blame here. They could have just carried Lavoie on the roster instead of old-as-dirt Corey Perry. Since taking over, Bowman has done nothing except watch young intriguing players leave the organization for next to nothing in return. Would this have happened if Edmonton kept Jeff Jackson in charge? Hard to say but I don’t think any of it happened by accident.

Lavoie, 24, was the 38th pick in the 2019 NHL Draft by the Oilers. The 6-foot-4 forward posted 50 points in 66 games at the AHL level last season.

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