Edmonton Oilers assign Raphael Lavoie and Olivier Rodrigue back to Junior

The @Edmonton Oilers have made their first rounds of cuts of the 2019 NHL Preseason, sending 2019 second round draft pick, forward Raphael Lavoie back to the Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL and 2018 second round pick, goaltender Olivier Rodrigue to the Moncton Wildcats, also of the QMJHL.

Lavoie had 32g-41a-73pts in 62 games as an eighteen-year-old for the Mooseheads last season while Rodrigue posted a 902 sv% and a 2.43 GAA in 48 games as an eighteen-year-old with the Drummondville Voltigueurs of the QMJHL last season.

Lavoie, who was considered a steal for the Oilers when they nabbed him with the 38th overall pick at this past summer’s Entry Draft, did not have an ideal training camp, according to Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Sun, but the 6’4′, 193 lbs forward will be expected to factor in heavily with the Moosehead’s offence

Rodrigue had a great outing with Canada at the U18-WJC in 2018, but has struggled somewhat over his first three seasons in the QMJHL with the Voltigueurs and will be looking for a fresh start with the Wildcats after the first place Volitigueurs lost to the Mooseheads in the third round of the QMJHL playoffs last spring.

As the puck drops to officially open the 2019 NHL preseason tonight, stay tuned for more changes to roster.