2018: 3rd Pick: Olivier Rodrigue (G)

[Aerchon]

Torn on this pick.

Nepotism on the surface. Small for a goalie. Terrible save percentage. Out of the Q.

However I really like drafting a goalie in this range and his impartial scouting consensus is this is where he should go. I like it when any team moves up into the second round for lesser picks.

Bouchard is who I would have taken with my limited knowledge.
McLeod is a center so great. I would have taken Thomas with my limited knowledge mostly cause he is a righty.
A goalie covers the big three positions.

The Oilers are basically done now, barring trade, and got three very promising player. I can walk away and say for the first time I am happy with all three picks. No Left shooting defenseman that have an upside of a #4 taken is very very refreshing.

 

[nabob]

#1 ranked goalie in NA.

Bunch of curmudgeons in here.

I think the scouting staff has earned a bit of leeway.

So many “fans” just waiting for any opportunity to get upset and bitch.

 

[McDNicks17]

Torn on this pick.

Nepotism on the surface. Small for a goalie. Terrible save percentage. Out of the Q.

However I really like drafting a goalie in this range and his impartial scouting consensus is this is where he should go. I like it when any team moves up into the second round for lesser picks.

Sixth best SV% for starters in the Q.

 

[Ruok]

Y

Sixth best SV% for starters in the Q.

Yeah but the Q is a lesser league. I would expect him to have at least a .990%.

 

[Canovin]

Hate the name Olivier for the Oilers

 

[Zaddy]

Only Oilers fans would think there's something wrong with the "optics" of taking the #1 ranked goalie at the end of the second round.

Yet the Vezina Trophy winner was taken in the 8th round, and one of the nominees were taken in the 5th. The goalie of the Stanley Cup winning team was taken in the 4th round. Oilers were riding an undrafted goalie in their playoff run last year. You don't need to take these guys early. Goalie rankings really don't mean that much IMO.

 

[nabob]

Yet the Vezina Trophy winner was taken in the 8th round, and one of the nominees were taken in the 5th. The goalie of the Stanley Cup winning team was taken in the 4th round. Oilers were riding an undrafted goalie in their playoff run last year. You don't need to take these guys early. Goalie rankings really don't mean that much IMO.

Good thing we didn’t take him early.

 

[Skolman]

Only Oilers fans would think there's something wrong with the "optics" of taking the #1 ranked goalie at the end of the second round.

So typical

 

[Zaddy]

Good thing we didn’t take him early.

Second round is early.

 

[nturn06]

I don't really get why we keep trading up for goalies. Why waste additional picks when you can acquire actual NHL goaltenders for cheap anyway? It's not like goalie is even a huge need for this organization right now we have Talbot, Koskinen, Brossoit, Ellis, Starrett, Skinner, Wells already.

Would've rather used this pick on Wise or McBain or tried to trade up for Morozov/Olofsson/Hållander.

Wasn't one of our main problems for many years that we kept acquiring cheap goalies?

Montoya, Elliss, Gustavsson, Nilsson, Scrivens, Fasth, Bryzzgalov, LaBarbera, Bachman, Danis, Khabibulin, Gerber and some more?

Yea, you can acquire them for cheap, but maybe tacking a shot is worth from time to time. Most gambles on goalies won't pay off, but when they do the really do pay off.

 

[JetsOilersfan]

I like the fact we traded up to take the #1 ranked NA goalie. For those complaining of 'nepotism' - well, whatever. I'm not worried about it all. If anything, they'd have better insight on this kid and it's why they traded up to get him. So far the draft is looking good - Dman/center-winger/goalie - all good propects. I just hope we can figure out how to nuture and develop them

 

[Jumptheshark]

only good thing about the Q is the fact it is a shooting gallary--so he has faced a lot of shots

 

[Zaddy]

Wasn't one of our main problems for many years that we kept acquiring cheap goalies?

Montoya, Elliss, Gustavsson, Nilsson, Scrivens, Fasth, Bryzzgalov, LaBarbera, Bachman, Danis, Khabibulin, Gerber and some more?

Yea, you can acquire them for cheap, but maybe tacking a shot is worth from time to time. Most gambles on goalies won't pay off, but when they do the really do pay off.

If they're the clear BPA sure. For me Rodrigue was not BPA here and goalie isn't a huge need right now for this team. We need more skilled forwards in the system. Again, I actually like Rodrigue. I don't HATE the pick, but I don't think he's a guy you trade up for. If we traded up for a skilled forward it would've made a lot more sense to me.

I'm also not a fan of CHL goalies in general. CHL isn't a great place for goalies to develop. Too many games and not enough time to work on your game. But now we got one from the O, one from the W and one from the Q. Hopefully at least one of them becomes a legit starting goaltender...

 

[Digger12]

On one hand you can look at it as an indirect nepotism pick.

On the other hand, you have to think no other team would have had a better insight into this kid's character than the Oilers, given his dad worked for them. It works both ways.

 

[nabob]

Second round is early.

End of the 2nd round is not early for the top ranked goalie.

 

[Hynh]

#1 ranked goalie in NA.

Bunch of curmudgeons in here.

I think the scouting staff has earned a bit of leeway.

So was Fucale. The QMJHL sucks at producing goalies nowadays.

 

[Skolman]

 

[Skolman]

 

[OilerSuperstar17]

I don't really get why we keep trading up for goalies. Why waste additional picks when you can acquire actual NHL goaltenders for cheap anyway? It's not like goalie is even a huge need for this organization right now we have Talbot, Koskinen, Brossoit, Ellis, Starrett, Skinner, Wells already.

Would've rather used this pick on Wise or McBain or tried to trade up for Morozov/Olofsson/Hållander.

Ellis retired. Brossoit is going to be a FA. Starrett, Wells, Skinner, and Montoya are going to be the minor league goalies. We needed a junior eligible goalie.

 

[Aerchon]

If they're the clear BPA sure. For me Rodrigue was not BPA here and goalie isn't a huge need right now for this team. We need more skilled forwards in the system. Again, I actually like Rodrigue. I don't HATE the pick, but I don't think he's a guy you trade up for. If we traded up for a skilled forward it would've made a lot more sense to me.

I'm also not a fan of CHL goalies in general. CHL isn't a great place for goalies to develop. Too many games and not enough time to work on your game. But now we got one from the O, one from the W and one from the Q. Hopefully at least one of them becomes a legit starting goaltender...

Goalie absolutely is a need in the organization. Goaltending is always a very high organizational need. Drafting goalies isnt exactly a great stategy but drafting one who is ranked #1 for a third round and a fifth rounder is a solid strategy.

 

[nturn06]

If they're the clear BPA sure. For me Rodrigue was not BPA here and goalie isn't a huge need right now for this team. We need more skilled forwards in the system. Again, I actually like Rodrigue. I don't HATE the pick, but I don't think he's a guy you trade up for. If we traded up for a skilled forward it would've made a lot more sense to me.

I'm also not a fan of CHL goalies in general. CHL isn't a great place for goalies to develop. Too many games and not enough time to work on your game. But now we got one from the O, one from the W and one from the Q. Hopefully at least one of them becomes a legit starting goaltender...

Based on the Oilers's scouts he was the clear BPA, otherwise they would not have traded for him.

The question is whose evaluation is more important for the draft, the Oilers scouts or yours....

 

[Zaddy]

End of the 2nd round is not early for the top ranked goalie.

Not super-early no, but this is a weak goalie class. And again being ranked high as a goalie doesn't really mean much. That's absolutely not an indicator of future success. I remember how high I was on Jacob Markström in his draft year and beyond. He was supposed to be an elite number 1 goalie. That didn't work out too well. Took him 10 years just to get a starting gig in the NHL and he has never even had a .920 svs% in the NHL.

And there was even two goalies taken ahead of him, in the 1st round, Chet Pickard and Tom McCollum. Neither one ever became an NHL goaltender. That was 2008.

In 2009 Mikko Koskinen was the first goalie off the board at #31. After him it was Lehner-Nilsson-Bobkov-Hackett-Morrison-Lee. Between all of them they have a grand total of 354 games played in the NHL.

In 2010 you had Jack Campbell and Mark Visentin taken in the 1st round and Pickard and Simpson taken in the 2nd. 96 total NHL games between those four guys. Best goalie of that draft? Either one of Grubauer (4th round), Mrazek (5th round) and Andersen (7th round)

In 2011 there was six goaltenders selected in the first three rounds. In order: Hellberg-Gibson-Gibson(finnish)-Perhonen-Honzik-Binnington. Out of all those guys John Gibson is the only one who has had success. The rest of them have a grand total of 17 NHL games between them. Best goalie behind Gibson is probably Anton Forsberg (7th round) or possibly Garrett Sparks (7th round).

2012 is really the only time in recent history where the top ranked goalie who got picked early has become an actual legit NHL goaltender and that was Vasilevski. But in that same draft he is still challenged by Murray (late 3rd round), Andersen (re-drafted late 3rd round) and Hellebuyck (5th round) for best goaltender.

In 2013 Zach Fucale was the highest ranked and first goalie off the board at #36. Pretty much a bust at this point. After him followed Jarry, Desrosiers and Comrie. I'd say Jarry and Comrie still has some potential but neither looks like a future starting goaltender albeit it's a little early to say for sure. Desrosiers is an ECHL goalie. All the 3rd rounders (Martin, McAdam, Högberg) were busts too. Best goalie in that draft will probably be Juuse Saros (taken in the 4th round).

So uhh...is that enough evidence/history for you?

 

[Burnt Biscuits]

I'm more upset that we have used so many picks on goaltenders. Always want bullets at the draft.

Like others have said, Rodrigue is the top rated NA goaltender and even goaltender period in the draft. The Avs took a goaltender (speaking of teams that use picks on goaltenders) and were likely salivating at Rodrigue. Will likely be a WJC candidate in another year (late birthday right?)

Welcome to the Oilers, look forward to tracking your success!

Just for some perspective on the number of bullets at the draft we've spent on goaltending since Chia took over-

2015- Cam Talbot (57th overall + 79th overall + 184th overall), Miroslav Svboda (208th overall- we got this pick back from NYR on the Talbot trade)
2016- Dylan Wells (123rd overall)
2017- Stuart Skinner (82nd overall + 126th overall)
2018- Olivier Rodrigue (71st overall + 133rd overall), Al Montoya (102nd overall)

I don't have a problem with the selection or what we paid to trade up, but Chia has clearly expended many of our bullets on goalies.

Fun fact- We've only had 4 drafted goalies in the franchises history who've played more than 100 games in the NHL (Moog, Fuhr, Markanen, and Dubnyk)

 

[Paddy Padlock]

Just for some perspective on the number of bullets at the draft we've spent on goaltending since Chia took over-

2015- Cam Talbot (57th overall + 79th overall + 184th overall), Miroslav Svboda (208th overall- we got this pick back from NYR on the Talbot trade)
2016- Dylan Wells (123rd overall)
2017- Stuart Skinner (82nd overall + 126th overall)
2018- Olivier Rodrigue (71st overall + 133rd overall), Al Montoya (102nd overall)

I don't have a problem with the selection or what we paid to trade up, but Chia has clearly expended many of our bullets on goalies.

Fun fact- We've only had 4 drafted goalies in the franchises history who've played more than 100 games in the NHL (Moog, Fuhr, Markanen, and Dubnyk)

Between those picks and the picks we gave up for hiring Chia and McLellan, we've really been bleeding picks. I'm not even counting the Reinhart trade.

We're desperate for wingers and we spend more picks on goalies. With Wise, Nordgren, Shafigullin and Mascherin on the board. Sigh

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Hopefully we're done with picking goalies for awhile unless there is a high end goalie that we can't pass up.