Goaltending tandem for the playoffs
By Phil Gretzky
Olivier Rodrigue - honourable mention
Rodrigue, as I've mentioned, has platooned with Campbell in Bakersfield since last November, and Pickard before that. I wouldn't expect him to get anywhere near the playoff roster unless there's a huge rash of injuries in between the pipes where Skinner, Campbell, and Pickard all go down with injuries, which is unlikely. A 2018 second-round pick of the Oilers, Rodrigue looks to be the goalie of the future but doesn't seem to have a place on the Oilers in the present, which makes sense as again the Oilers are in win-now mode which is not the time to commit to an unproven prospect.
However, word on the street is Rodrigue has put himself into the conversation for at least one NHL start before the regular season is up. I'm sure if the Oilers had had more success at the beginning of the season they would've called him up for a start much earlier just to see what they have in him right now, but with the way they were struggling at the beginning of the season, there simply hasn't been that opportunity for him thus far.
At this point it looks like with five games to go and 10 points on the line, combined with the fact it looks like the Oilers are going to go for leapfrogging the Canucks for the division lead, means that if that happens in the next couple of games Rodrigue could get his callup prior to the playoffs starting, but once the playoffs start he would take his place on the taxi squad and watch it unfold before his eyes as a spectator. The Oilers are four points behind the Canucks right now with two games in hand on them and a game against them on the 13th. It will be key for the Oilers to win that one if they hope to get over the Canucks and win the division.
Rodrigue has worked his way into this conversation due to the fact that he's progressed from struggling early on in his pro career in the AHL as a backup to now as a 1A who is at least average with SV% going up and GAA going down. He currently sports two career bests with a .914 SV% and a 2.75 GAA. It wouldn't surprise me to see him as an Oiler in two seasons if he can take the next step and show he can be an elite starting goalie in the AHL next season.