MONDAY FEATURE: Lavoie Healthy, Confident With Condors

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BAKERSFIELD, CA - Healthy and playing with confidence, Edmonton Oilers prospect Raphael Lavoie appears to be turning potential into the real deal for the Bakersfield Condors.

Lavoie, taken early in the second round (38th overall) by the Oilers in the 2019 NHL Entry draft, seemed to be on a roller coaster for much of his brief pro career, now in its third season.

In his last 21 games, Lavoie, 22, has registered 20 points - 10 goals and 10 assists - and is a plus 10.

That is in stark contrast to his first 13 games when he had just three points (2g,1a) and was a minus 3.

What happened?

A lot.

Perhaps, most importantly, he is healthy after suffering a knee injury late last season that required surgery and had him missing the first six games of this season.

Then there is maturation, physically and mentally, as the 6-foot-4, 215-pound right wing has learned by trial and error just how difficult the pro game can be.

And maybe, just maybe, there was that game against Colorado on Dec. 3 (a 5-4 loss) when he watched from the stands as a healthy scratch - a pivotal point said both Condors head coach Colin Chalk and General Manager Keith Gretzky.

"The moment for him, when he was healthy scratched for the first time in his career," Chaulk said.

Said Gretzky: "I think Colin had a really good heart to heart with him. Sat him out for a game. First time he's been a really healthy scratch and he responded."

Chaulk used the healthy scratch as a teaching moment.

"I had a good conversation with him, talked about, through video, the reasons why he was out and the things he needed to do," Chaulk said. "He came back, played a really, really good game then got injured again."

Fortunately for Lavoie and the Condors, that injury was minor and he missed just four games.

Since then it's like he's been shot out of a cannon.

"I  want to say confidence," said Lavoie of the difference between his early and current play.

"When I first got back from injury it was a little harder for me. I hadn't played a game in probably eight months. It's always hard when you come back from a major injury. It was the first time I had a major injury like that. It was a lot of difficulties, a lot of adversity, especially when coming back as well. You don't have your timing, you don't prepare the same way."

"Unfortunately, I got hurt again [and] was playing with that for a couple of games. When I came back from the second one I started playing really well and it's still going well today."

READ ALSO: Condors, City of Bakersfield, Agree To Arena Lease Extension

It has not been a straight-line progression for Lavoie, and Covid certainly has played a role in that.

With the AHL shut down due to Covid, Lavoie started his pro career in Sweden in the second-level Allsvenskan league where he led Vasby IK with 45 points (23 goals, 22 assists) in 54 games before coming to the Condors where he put up a respectable 10 points ( five goals, five assists) as a rookie in 19 games.

Lavoie started slowly in his second pro year with just three assists in his first 18 games for the Condors. His pace picked up after that with 11 points (five goals, six assists) over the next 22 games, playing several of those toward the end with the knee injury that finally forced him off the ice.

"Last year he had a tough start," Chaulk said. "This year was similar but I think, now, the second time around, I think he understands the value of trying to keep those habits consistent."

"Raphael was hurt, was still trying to play [late last year]. Our team was playing well and he saw that he wanted to be part of it. He was playing injured and probably shouldn't have. It appeared he started to tail off, but that was partly due to inexperience and partly due to health."

Lavoie has quick hands, a heavy shot and a willingness to shoot the puck (he led the CHL with playoff goals in 2019) but he's learned there is much more to being successful at the pro level than just a hard shot.

"Aside from the point production, they're really pushing the details," Lavoie said of the coaches. "The emphasis on your play away from the puck, when you're not having the puck and you're checking guys or where your stick has got to be, where you have to be in the D zone, you have to hit a guy - all these little details that you don't see on the stat sheet but they make a difference on the ice in whether we eventually win or lose a game. It's huge, the details they've been enforcing with me."

Chaulk said it has just taken some time to get Lavoie on track.

"The heavy lifting from both staffs (Oilers and Condors) the last two years and also the player commitment," Chaulk said of how Lavoie has improved. "He played a certain way in Junior where he was bigger and stronger. He could kind of sling non stop on pucks, build speed and habits he was able to get away with because, frankly, he was just stronger and better than most people. Big body, big shot, can protect the puck and you get more chances to score."

"Here there's less space. It's harder, they're men [here]. It took him a little bit to get going."

And now that he is going, all parties expect his solid play to continue.

"The biggest thing is he's not making the same mistakes," Gretzky said. "He's a big man and he's started to use his size to protect the puck, to get position to get the puck. The play just didn't die on his stick. His game has improved."

"Can he get better,?" Gretzky asked rhetorically. "Yes, everybody can. But he's a guy we count on to play big minutes and be a big factor on our team."

For Lavoie, the challenge now is continuing to build off of those strong performances as things tighten up even more defensively in the AHL as teams battle for playoff position this spring.

"You're always learning from the game," Lavoie said. "I'm young, 22 years old, I doubt I have figured the game out already, but I'm learning every year. Taking it in, whether it be from the coaches or the veterans that can teach you the game and help you."

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