Even before they began this season with a disastrous start, the Edmonton Oilers knew they needed help with their goaltending. Jack Campbell struggled enough to be sent to the minors and there seems to be little hope of a return, and Stuart Skinner still hasn't found consistency as a young goaltender in the league. The team has been rumoured to be in on several goalies around the NHL for a trade, but now they have found a solid internal solution.
Drafted in the second round by the Oilers in 2018, Rodrigue has soared over his expectations and is now consistently dominating games in the AHL. In 10 games this season, Rodrigue has an impressive 2.09 GAA and a .938 save percentage. His stellar play has earned a call up to the NHL, and now he has to make the most of the opportunity and continue his success. Adding him to the NHL roster could be a turning point for the Oilers' entire season.
While this is incredibly hopeful for the Oilers to have a high-ceiling goalie join the team, the team will be cognizant of how young he is, and how unlikely it is he'll be a solution for the rest of the year. As a 23 year old rookie, the team can't be expecting him to form a tandem with Skinner for the rest of the season just yet. However, calling him up and allowing him some starts to evaluate his talent at the NHL level is the smart move. If Rodrigue falters when he's called up in January, it'll provide the Oilers plenty of time to make a move at or before the trade deadline.
