The Edmonton Oilers added more prospects on Day 2 of the NHL Draft in Vancouver on Saturday.
In the second round, at 38th overall, the team grabbed right winger Raphael Lavoie. He had 32 goals and 73 points in 62 games for Halifax in the QMJHL last season. Lavoie, 18, added 20 goals and 32 points in 23 playoff games. He’s listed at six-foot-four and 200 pounds.
“I’m a power forward with a pretty good shot and pretty good hands,” Lavoie said.
Listen below: Oilers draft pick Raphael Lavoie speaks to 630 CHED on Saturday.
Lavoie won the Mike Bossy Trophy as the top prospect in the QMJHL.
“He had a great playoff. He had a good Memorial Cup,” Oilers director of player personnel Bob Green said of Lavoie. “He’s a big, strong kid who can score.
“He makes plays with the puck. He’s strong down low. He complements good players.”
Listen below: Oilers director of player personnel Bob Green talks to 630 CHED about the team’s 2019 draft picks.
The Oilers took goaltender Ilya Konovalov in the third round, 85th overall. Konovalov turns 21 on July 13. He was named the KHL’s Rookie of the Year in 2018-19 after going 25-15-1 with Yaroslavl Lokomotiv.
Konovalov, who has two years left on his KHL contract, had a 1.89 goals against average and a .930 save percentage.
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The Oilers used their fourth round pick on right winger Matej Blumel.
The 19-year-old hails from the Czech Republic and spent the last two seasons in the USHL playing for Waterloo.
Blumel recorded 30 goals and 60 points in 2018-19. He’s listed at 6’0″and 198 pounds.
In the sixth round, the Oilers selected left shot forward Tomas Mazura 162nd overall. Mazura has been playing at Kimball Union Academy, a prep school in New Hampshire. He’s committed to Providence College for the 2020-21 season.
With their final pick in the seventh round, the Oilers took Russian forward Maxim Denezhkin. He’s played one game in the KHL.
Oilers’ draft pick on Friday
On Friday night, the Oilers selected Swedish defenceman Philip Broberg with the eighth overall pick in the first round of the draft.
Broberg, who turns 18 on June 25, is an elite skater who is highly skilled. However, his critics have said he needs to improve his hockey IQ.
“Me and my coach in AIK worked really hard on my defensive game to get stronger in the corners and in front of the net,” Broberg explained. “I see myself as a two-way defender. I really like to use my skating, but I still want to be a guy you can trust in the D zone.”
Listen below: Philip Broberg talks to 630 CHED after being drafted by the Edmonton Oilers.
The left shot was named top defenceman at the World Under-18 tournament played in Sweden in April. He helped Sweden win the gold medal. At the Gretzky-Hlinka Cup in Edmonton last summer, he had three goals and an assist in five games.
“That tournament was big for me and my team as well,” Broberg said.
Broberg, who checks in at six-foot-two and 200 pounds, played for AIK in the Swedish second division in 2018-19.
“I think if you’re going to have a good team in the National Hockey League, you have to have a good defence,” said Oilers GM Ken Holland. “Those teams that go for long playoff runs have good defence, deep defence, big defence.
“We’re going to build a good, deep, big defence.”
Listen below: Oilers GM Ken Holland talks to 630 CHED on Day 1 of the 2019 NHL Draft.
The New Jersey Devils started the draft by taking Jack Hughes first overall. Kaapo Kakko went second to the New York Rangers.
Fort Saskatchewan’s Kirby Dach, who plays for the Saskatoon Blades, was taken third by the Chicago Blackhawks.
READ MORE: Chicago Blackhawks select Alberta player Kirby Dach 3rd overall at NHL Entry Draft
Watch below: Some videos about the 2019 NHL Draft.
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