Oilers Olivier Rodrigue Must Be Recalled Right Now
Olivier Rodrigue (Taya Gray/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)EDMONTON – Houston, we have a problem.
As if there weren’t enough injuries surrounding this team, things got worse on Wednesday night.
The Edmonton Oilers lost a spirited game against the Dallas Stars on home ice with a 4-3 result. However, the real salt in the wound was Stuart Skinner leaving the game after taking a knee to the head from Mikko Rantanen.
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“No, I do not,” Kris Knoblauch revealed when asked for an update on Skinner. “I anticipate him not travelling,” Knoblauch responded to a question about Skinner joining the team on their way to play the Seattle Kraken on Thursday night.
In light of this news, there’s a good chance that they will make a recall for Thursday night’s game if Skinner remains in Edmonton. There is an obvious candidate for a recall if that is the case.
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Olivier Rodrigue Is The Goalie To Recall For The Oilers
Olivier Rodrigue is the starting goalie for the Oilers AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors. He has started a career-high 40 games this season.
Rodrigue holds an 18-15-7 record to go along with a 3.05 goals against average (GAA), a .899 save percentage (SV%), and one shutout. He is one win away from tying his career-high in wins (19).
The 24-year-old netminder has been with the organization for a long time now. The 2018 draft selection is in his fifth season with the Condors. Rodrigue only played 23 games over the first two years, but has seen a dramatic increase of workload year-after-year.
It’s Decision Time For The Oilers And Rodrigue
Rodrigue is an RFA after this season concludes. It would be prudent of the organization to see what exactly they have in him at the NHL-level.
The Oilers are not absent of goaltender prospects. Connor Ungar, Ty Taylor, Nathaniel Day, Samuel Jonsson, and Eemil Vinni are also in the pipeline.
However, Rodrigue has never played an NHL game in his career. Combine that with the fact that his contract expires at the end of this season and it only makes sense that he would get the nod, especially if Skinner is expected to miss a bit of time.
Saddle up, Oil Country, things could get interesting soon.
*Update: The Oilers have officially recalled Rodrigue and loaned Derek Ryan to the Condors.
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