Oilers Sign Ryan Fanti: The Domino Effect

I’ve alluded to this in the past two slides, but Skinner is the only one able to hold his head above water in the minor leagues. The Oilers had high hopes for Olivier Rodrigue, drafted in the second round of 2018, and Ilya Konovalov, drafted in the third round in 2019, and hyped as the best Russian goalie available in that draft, having played four seasons already in the KHL and putting up elite stats in three of those four seasons.

The Oilers hadn’t drafted goalies that high that actually covered the bet since taking Devan Dubnyk 14th overall in the 1st round in 2004. Prior to that you’d have to go back to 1981 and Grant Fuhr for any goalie that had any staying power in the NHL. Every other goalie drafted in between either never made the show or flamed out quickly in short order.

Although I doubt the organization has given up on either guy so quickly, there’s no doubt neither Rodrigue nor Konovalov has gotten off to a good start in Bakersfield. There’s a reason Skinner has played the majority of the games when he’s down there – neither Rodrigue nor Konovalov have managed a sv% over .900 or a GAA below 2.5 in any of the AHL games they’ve played.

That being said, both guys are signed for next season and neither have hit the five year mark in their pro careers just yet. The sample size is much too small to give up on either player at this point – Konovalov has a mere 16 North American pro games to his credit this season and Rodrigue has 24 AHL games and another nine in the ECHL (where he’s barely been an average goalie so far). Time has a way of giving experience, and rarely does any NHL player develop in a straight line.

That being said, with an immediate need for younger goaltenders and one prospect likely departing the minors after the season, there’s a need for someone else to push the two established guys for playing time, which is where Fanti comes in.

There’s no danger to their careers just yet, but if they don’t show some improvement there might be in the near future.

Only time will tell whether at least one of them hits or whether they become the next Shane Starrett. Fanti might have the same kind of career as well, you never know.

Nonetheless, if Skinner graduates as expected, next season represents the best possible time for one of Konovalov or Rodrigue to emerge as a starter in the AHL. If they struggle again, they’ll once again be playing either in the ECHL or as second banana to another goalie who produces more.

Fanti was signed in part to push Konovalov and Rodrigue for playing time in the minors. Let’s see what happens.