The Edmonton Oilers have a big decision to make in net from now until the trade deadline. Stuart Skinner has been sensational as of late, going 5-2 in December and posting a .913 save percentage (SV%) within that time and is without a doubt the number one guy in net, but he’ll need some help down the playoff stretch.
By all accounts, it appears that Jack Campbell’s opportunity for a call-up from the minors is fading and as The Hockey Writers’ Jesse Courville-Lynch wrote, current Oilers’ backup Calvin Pickard’s recent play has bought the team time to fix their goalie conundrum as he’s likely not a long term solution.
However, the other goaltender in the organization creating buzz is Olivier Rodrigue. He’s played exceptionally as of late in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Bakersfield Condors with a 5-2-3 record and his 2.25 goals-against average (GAA) is fourth-best in the AHL. His stellar stats warrant an opportunity to play at the NHL level, potentially providing an internal solution to the goalie predicament, yet, the Oilers may be exploring a trade scenario with him.
Oilers’ Analyst Suggests Rodrigue Could Be Showcased for Trade
The Oilers selected Rodrigue 62nd overall in the 2018 NHL Draft and he’s climbed Edmonton’s prospect ranks since being selected almost six years ago. The 23-year-old played a career-high 29 AHL games last season, posting a 14-14-1 record with a .912 SV% and 2.77 GAA and as mentioned, he’s elevated his game even further this season as his current .932 SV% is second-best in the AHL.
Rodrigue has earned a call-up to the big club and Oilers’ colour commentator Bob Stauffer has alluded on the “Oilers Now” show that it could happen sooner rather than later. However, if he gets called up, what intentions, if at all, do the Oilers have for him?
The perfect scenario is that when/if he’s recalled, he gets a few reps in and proves he belongs in the NHL and he stays in Edmonton for the remainder of the regular season. However, if the Oilers continue their hot run and earn a playoff spot, there could be concerns about running an inexperienced tandem of Skinner and Rodrigue between the pipes throughout the postseason.
On that note, The Athletic’s Allan Mitchell suggested a scenario that if Rodrigue is recalled, he could be showcased for a potential trade, saying:
“Holland could recall Rodrigue to the NHL for a few games, to showcase him. It’s probably early for this young goalie to be a trade asset of real value, but the club dealt Mike Kesselring a year ago at the deadline and he was in a similar spot in his development path.”
– Allan Mitchell (From “Lowetide: Oilers Goalie Prospect Olivier Rodrigue Reaches New Performance Level, The Athletic, 12/30/23)
On one hand, Rodrigue’s value is likely the highest it’s ever been and it could be a prime opportunity for Edmonton to leverage it in a potential deal for a proven NHL netminder to split duties with Skinner — for instance, someone like Mackenzie Blackwood from the San Jose Sharks. On the other hand, the Oilers who are tight against the salary cap, would be giving up a homegrown and up-and-coming goaltender whose cap hit is likely to remain low next season. Nonetheless, it’s a big decision general manager (GM) Ken Holland has to make in what may be his final season with the Oilers.
Gretzky Would Prefer to Keep Rodrigue in Bakersfield
Rodrigue has statistically been one of the AHL’s best netminders this season, but Oilers’ assistant GM Keith Gretzky mentioned on the “Oilers Now” show that he would opt to keep him in Bakersfield for now, saying, “I think it’s early, that’s just my vote right now. He’s in a really good spot. I think he’s trending in the right way, six months ago really no one was talking about him, we kind of knew what we had in him.”
Gretzky also added, “Has he exceeded my expectations? Yeah, you’d be a fool not to say that with his stats in the American Hockey League. I think he’s in a good spot, I’ve even talked to [Sylvain] about it, just as a goalie coach and he agrees he’s in a good spot, and hey if there’s injuries or whatever, then you deal with it, but right now, you know, I’m more on the cautious side and let him keep growing.” Interestingly, Gretzky’s mention of Rodrigue being overlooked six months ago hints at a shift in perception, suggesting that he might now be catching the eye and interest of other teams.
Still, if Rodrigue, who is exempt from waivers this season, was recalled, Pickard would likely be the player swapping places with him and sent down to the minors. Yet, with Pickard’s 3-2 record with the Oilers and recently earning a win over the Anaheim Ducks on Dec. 31, Edmonton might opt for the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach and keep the current goaltending setup intact for now until the Oilers’ schedule becomes more difficult in February.
Yet, regardless of the Oilers’ intentions with Rodrigue, he deserves an opportunity to play in Edmonton at some point. When his chance comes, it not only allows him to showcase his skills but also serves as a motivational boost for him and other Oilers’ prospects that hard work and good results will eventually be rewarded.
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