Olivier Rodrigue
Goaltending hasn’t been a strength of the Oilers for quite some time, so when they saw a promising goalie prospect in Olivier Rodrigue coming off a strong season with the QMJHL Drummondville Voltigeurs, they quickly pounced on him with their second round pick in 2018. Since then. It has taken a little while for Rodrigue to find his game, but last season with the Condors, he registered some solid numbers with a 2.77 GAA and a .912 save percentage that ranked him 10th in the AHL.
Rodrigue is definitely the next in line for the Oilers if Pickard continues to falter, as he has been off to a good start again so far in his 2023-24 season with the Condors. He currently sports a 2-1 winning record with a 2.00 GAA and .942 save percentage in his limited action so far.
Want your voice heard? Join the Oil On Whyte team!
However, with Pickard now up with the Oilers while the recently demoted Jack Campbell continues to struggle, it could be Rodrigue’s chance to have a steady run at the net for the Condors to show what he can do. The better that he does, the more likely the Oilers could be to use him as a trade chip to get the goalie that they need for their playoff run this season.
Rodrigue could round into form in a year or two, but the Oilers desperately need the help now. As such, he would certainly be appealing to a young, rebuilding team that would have the time to allow him to grow and develop his game, while giving back a veteran netminder in return.