The Edmonton Oilers have made a trade, moving up from 71st overall to pick 62nd. The Oil also sent the 133rd overall selection to Montreal in the deal. With the pick, the Oilers selected a goalie, Olivier Rodrigue. That name should be familiar to Oiler fans, as Olivier’s father Slyvian is a goaltending consultant for the organization.
Rodrigue is largely seen as the top North American goaltender in this draft and is an extremely athletic player. Like all goalies, he’ll need development time, but he’s athletic, quick and has good rebound control.
The Oilers continue their trend of drafting goaltenders under GM Peter Chiarelli. I’m a little surprised they took one so early this year, but this is a strong pick.
Here’s a look at Rodrigue’s scouting report via The Draft Analyst.
Don’t let Rodrigue’s size scare you away — this kid’s reflexes, rebound control and post-to-post quickness are exceptional. He’s an aggressive netminder who will dart out of the crease to defend shots from anywhere within his own end, and he’s proven to safely steer high-danger shots either into the corners or far from the low slot. Rodrigue’s stick is very active and times his poke checks very well, plus his ability to lock in on pucks throughout an entire cycle helps him interdict cross-crease passes from either corner. His glove hand and its positioning are a work in progress, which when coupled with a low silhouette makes him susceptible to get beaten upstairs, especially on the short side.
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