NHL insider believes Oilers Corey Perry will lose tons of ice-time

This is going to be Corey Perry's 21st NHL season, and one NHL insider believes he isn't going to see much game action with the Edmonton Oilers this year.

Now approaching his 40th birthday, age is certainly catching up to Corey Perry. While experience and style of play continue to bring some value to the bottom six, speculation, particularly courtesy of NHL insider Jason Gregor, is that Perry might lose a roster spot to the up-and-comer Raphael Lavoie.

Lavoie was a second-round pick of the Oilers in 2019, and since his selection, he has chipped away at a roster spot. With a good AHL season last year, 28 goals and 50 points in 66 games, it may be time for the Oilers to try his skills and youthful energy in their lineup.

It's not uncommon for the Oilers to load-manage Perry through the season, which may open up more opportunities for Lavoie to steal the show. Often, the team has space for rising stars while taking some pressure off the veterans. Just ask Mark Giordano, last year's oldest NHLer, who got put on "load management" by the Maple Leafs to save his energy. With a little bit of salary cap flexibility, the Oilers might be able to keep Perry and Lavoie in the rotation together. In fact, as Gregor noted, they might be able to inject more youth in by potentially bumping Derek Ryan on the fourth line.

Currently, the Edmonton Oilers have the oldest roster in the NHL based on average age. It makes some sense, at least from the perspective of trying to remain competitive into the future, that the club would want to bring in younger players like Raphael Lavoie. This is a very pivotal year of training camp for Lavoie as he works hard to secure his spot, likely at the expense of Corey Perry, and make it tough on the Oilers to send him back to the minors.

Source: Oilers DailyCorey Perry to have reduced role on Edmonton Oilers this year, says insider

Source: Elite ProspectsRaphael Lavoie Stats

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