Edmonton Oilers sign goalie Olivier Rodrigue to two-way contract

The Edmonton Oilers announced that they have signed goaltender Olivier Rodrigue to a one-year, two-way contract. According to CapFriendly, the contract will have a cap hit of $775,000. Rodrigue was a restricted free agent.

The Chicoutimi, Quebec product spent the 2022-23 season with the Oilers’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors, where he posted a 14-14-1 record to go with a 2.77 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage.

Rodrigue was initially drafted No. 62 overall by the Oilers in the 2018 NHL Draft. Rodrigue was a third-overall selection by the Drummondville Voltigeurs in the 2016 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) Draft; he was the highest-drafted goaltender in the QMJHL since Kevin Poulin was selected third overall in the 2006 QMJHL Draft. He spent three years with the Voltigeurs before being dealt to the Moncton Wildcats in 2019-20, where he amassed a 31-7-1 record before the season was shut down due to Covid-19. Throughout a four-year career, he appeared in 181 games, posting a 111-52-12 record, a .900 save percentage and a 2.70 goals-against average.

Before making his AHL debut with the Condors, Rodrigue was loaned to the EC Moser Medical Graz99ers of the ICE Hockey League (ICEHL) in Europe. He appeared in 23 games, posting a 10-10-0 record, a .908 save percentage and a 3.11 goals-against average. That same season in 2020-21, he made his AHL debut and appeared in 11 games for the Condors. He has also spent time with the Oilers’ ECHL affiliate, the Wichita Thunder.

The 6-foot-1 netminder represented Canada at the U18 World Junior Championships in 2017-18, where he led the tournament with the best goals-against average and save percentage. He captured a gold medal at the 2019-20 World Juniors while backstopping Nico Daws (New Jersey Devils) and Joel Hofer (St. Louis Blues). He represented Team QMJHL twice at the CHL Subway Super Series against Team Russia, picking up one win and one loss.