Former Oiler Olivier Rodrigue has contract with KHL’s Barys Astana terminated

Nearly a month after it was reported that former Edmonton Oilers goaltender Olivier Rodrigue signed in the Kontinental Hockey League, his contract has now been terminated.

In a brief statement Thursday, the KHL’s Barys Astana shared that due to an injury Rodrigue suffered in training, the two parties agreed to part ways. Translated from Russian, it reads:

Due to an injury sustained during training, Olivier Rodrigue underwent an in-depth medical examination, which revealed an injury requiring additional treatment. After discussions with the hockey player, a decision was made to terminate Rodrigue’s current contract with Barys by mutual agreement.

The club thanks Olivier for the work he has done and wishes him success in his future career!

No further information was given on the nature of the injury. It’s also unclear how long Rodrigue has been dealing with this injury.

The 25-year-old put up career best numbers with the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors in the 2023-24 season, with 19 wins in 37 games, a 2.73 GAA and a .916 SV%. Last season, he unfortunately did not fare as well, dropping to a 3.12 GAA and .897 SV%.

At the end of the year, he was not offered a qualifying offer from the Edmonton Oilers, leading to his decision to head to the KHL. It’s possible that whatever injury he’s now dealing with has been nagging at him since last year, and it may be part of the reason he wasn’t given another shot in Bakersfield, though for now that’s all just speculation.

Rodrigue spent five years in the AHL with the Condors, and made his first NHL start with the Oilers last season amidst a slew of injuries between the pipes. In two appearances with Edmonton, he posted a 3.10 GAA and a .862 SV%.

What’s next for the former top Oilers goaltending prospect remains to be seen. Potentially, the Chicoutimi, Quebec native decided to terminate his contract in order to come back to North America to seek treatment for whatever he’s dealing with. Still young for a goalie, if it’s something he can bounce back from, it’s possible he’ll land elsewhere in the AHL this season or sometime in the near future.