Is Olivier Rodrigue The Answer?
Okay fine, we won’t get ahead of ourselves, but for the first time, Edmonton Oilers fans got a look at the organization’s top goaltending prospect in an NHL game.
It came Thursday night in the Oilers’ 6-1 loss to the Seattle Kraken, with Rodrigue taking the crease for the third period. It came off the back of another disastrous second period for the Oilers, as the Kraken put five goals past Calvin Pickard.
Rodrigue would allow one of his own, a highlight reel goal from Jared McCann who batted a puck out of the air and in, stopping the other seven shots he faced. He’s expected to remain with the Oilers
“I thought he was amazing,” said Oilers winger Zach Hyman after the game. “I thought he made a bunch of phenomenal saves. Just a weird, crazy bounce that they scored on, but he saved all the ones he could save, and some were really hard ones.”
Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch was equally impressed.
“Ollie did a really good job,” he said. “Made some really big saves, especially coming in. We were hesitating if we wanted to put him in in the second period, but we waited until the third.
“We get to the third and we’re shorthanded, and that’s not an ideal time to put a goalie in, but he responded well. A lot of big saves. We’re happy for him to have that period that he did.”
What was it about Rodrigue’s game that impressed Knoblauch the most?
“He looked engaged. The rebound control was good, and his agility makes him some really big saves. It would’ve been nice to see him have an easy period, but he was tested with some big ones and it was nice to see he could do it.”
Drafted by the Oilers in the second round of the 2018 draft, it’s been a long time coming for the 24-year-old to reach the NHL. He’s spent his time developing in the American Hockey League with the Bakersfield Condors, posting a 61-51-17 record, .906 save percentage and a 2.89 goals against average in 130 games.
He’s appeared in 40 games this year for the Condors, posting a .18-15-8 record, 899 save percentage and a 3.05 goals against average, though his numbers have taken a slight dip this season compared to the last two. In 2023-24, he posted a 19-12-5 record, a .916 save percentage and a 2.73 goals against average in 37 games, and in the 2022-23 campaign he carried a 14-14-1 record, a 9.12 save percentage and a 2.77 goals against average.
Rodrigue is expected to remain with the club at least through Saturday’s game against the Calgary Flames, as Stuart Skinner is still recovering from a hit he took by Dallas Stars winger Mikko Rantanen.
There’s no word on if Rodrigue will make his first NHL start or not, but one has to wonder if he should based on the solid play he had.
