Younger Oilers pumped by Winnipeg vets; Lavoie combating for a chair

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On the brilliant facet, a minimum of the Winnipeg Jets didn’t get to 10, just like the Calgary Flames did towards Vancouver on Sunday.

But it surely was nonetheless a lambs-to-slaughter scenario for the Edmonton Oilers, who didn’t deliver a single one among their prime 12 forwards and solely two of their prime seven defencemen (Brett Kulak and Cody Ceci) to Winnipeg Monday.

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The Jets, being the house staff, iced 11 veterans within the pre-season contest, together with their prime three scorers from final yr, Josh Morrissey, Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele

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The upside of that, in fact, is that it gave head coach Jay Woodcroft a chance to see what the Oilers wannabes appeared like underneath strain.

On condition that the ultimate rating was a good 1-0 for a lot of the night time till Winnipeg added 4 third-period markers in a 5-0 win, he had lots to digest on each side of the analysis scale.

“I believed it was a aggressive sport,” mentioned Woodcroft. “Clearly the opposite staff dressed a really robust lineup however I believed we have been proper there by way of the primary 40 minutes. I feel we gave up 15 photographs over two intervals.

“We have been competing effectively after which I believed we ran out of fuel just a little bit within the third interval and began to show the puck over. We have been within the field thrice within the third interval and a few of their harmful gamers made us play. However our youthful gamers obtained some nice expertise towards among the prime gamers within the NHL.”

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One of many hopefuls who stood out Monday was second-round draft decide (thirty eighth general in 2019) Raphael Lavoie. And the actual fact he was in a position to take action with out placing up any targets or assists, though he did lead the staff with 4 photographs, is perhaps one of the best half.

Whereas Lavoie is an offensive participant by way of and thru — 100 targets over his remaining three seasons in Junior and 38 during the last two seasons in Bakersfield — he is aware of he’s not going to attain his approach into the Oilers lineup.

So he’s actually digging in on the remainder of his sport, realizing he must make the staff on the power of his general sport. At this stage of Edmonton’s evolution, anybody who makes the staff must do on the power of his general sport, so Lavoie would possibly as effectively get to work on it.

“You need to be very dependable defensively,” mentioned the six-foot-five, 216-pound proper winger. “I’m not going to be a top-six man right here, so it’s a must to deliver one thing to the desk. If that’s being dependable defensively, being reliable on the ice, then that’s the way in which it’s going to be.”

Blocking photographs, being extra bodily and incomes the belief of his teaching workers is the place he’s focusing his consideration.

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“You need to do what it’s a must to do to play within the NHL,” he mentioned. “I’m not the one man who’s needed to adapt his sport to get to the subsequent degree, in order that’s what I’m making an attempt to do to remain right here so long as potential.”

It is a pure course of that nearly each younger participant coming into the NHL goes by way of. It’s a really totally different mindset than the one which made them stars in Junior, however the subsequent degree calls for it.

“They’re used to commanding the lion’s share of ice time due to their expertise,” mentioned Woodcroft. “However the larger you’re employed your approach up the meals chain within the skilled hockey world you understand that there are solely so many roles.”

“He’s not the primary particular person to should undergo that self-realization. The NHL is affected by 50-goal scorers in Junior who play on fourth traces within the Nationwide Hockey League, that’s simply the way in which it’s.

“It’s an understanding of what job is perhaps out there for those who’re with the Edmonton Oilers. It’s having to regulate his sport to discover a chair.”

The component that makes Lavoie’s pursuit of a job in Edmonton so intriguing is that along with roster spots and cap area being so tight he should now clear waivers if he doesn’t make the staff. Meaning a staff just like the Montreal Canadiens might scoop him up totally free.

That may damage after on a regular basis they’ve invested in him, however that’s the fact.

“I’ve been with this group for some time now and I’m making an attempt to remain right here,” mentioned Lavoie. “I’ll attempt my finest and if it doesn’t work out I’ll undergo waivers and see what occurs. For now, I’m simply centered on staying with the Oilers.”

LATE HITS — The Oilers despatched defenceman Beau Akey again to the Barrie Colts.

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