Raphaël Lavoie could be strong fit for Laval Rocket roster
Raphaël Lavoie’s 56 points in 45 games with Henderson make him the kind of right-shot scorer Laval can use right away.
Raphaël Lavoie’s 56 points in 45 games with Henderson give Laval Rocket a clear reason to look hard at the 25-year-old center-right wing now. P. Laflamme identified the Chambly, Quebec, native as a strong fit for Montreal’s AHL affiliate, and the fit starts with production: 30 goals, 26 assists and a proven track record of scoring at the AHL level.
Lavoie is 6-foot-4, 217 pounds and shoots right, the kind of frame and finish that can change a Rocket forward group built around Laurent Dauphin, Alex Belzile, Samuel Blais, Lucas Condotta, Sean Farrell, Joshua Roy, Owen Beck, Vinzenz Rohrer and Florian Xhekaj. He would not arrive as a luxury piece. With Laval coming off a 3-2 loss to Toronto in Game 5 of the division semifinals on May 9 at Place Bell, another forward who can drive offense and tilt special teams would matter immediately. Lavoie would fit as a middle-six option and a power-play candidate, where his right-handed shot could give the Rocket another look from the half wall or the bumper.
The scoring profile is not a one-season spike. Lavoie posted 50 points in 66 games for Bakersfield in 2023-24 and 45 points in 61 games in 2022-23, then pushed to a 56-point pace with Henderson last season. That progression suggests an AHL forward who has already shown he can carry offense over full seasons, not just flash in short bursts. He added three points in six Calder Cup playoff games for Henderson, another sign that his game held up when the schedule tightened.
His path through the NHL has been far less settled. Drafted 38th overall by the Edmonton Oilers in 2019, Lavoie has played 17 career NHL regular-season games without recording a point. He was claimed on waivers by Vegas from Edmonton on Oct. 7, 2024, claimed back by Edmonton two days later and claimed again by Vegas on Oct. 11. Vegas later signed him to a one-year contract for the 2025-26 season, and he spent that year mostly in Henderson.
For Montreal, adding Lavoie would be about more than one roster spot. It would give the Rocket another proven scorer in the pipeline, another right shot for Pascal Vincent to mix into the lineup, and another forward with enough size and production to compete for a permanent place in the Canadiens’ development track.
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