:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/60044283/ed_18032017_rimouski_drummondville_lhjmq03.0.jpg)
Analysis:
Olivier Rodrigue plays a lot bigger than he looks.
The 6’1, 159 lb. goaltender is an aggressive, fearless butterfly goaltender whose backstopped the Drummondville Voltigeurs to the second-most amount of wins and the 5th best win-% in the league.
How Rodrigue handles this is having some of the best puck-tracking and agility in net among any prospect. He’s usually square to the shooter before the shooter has an idea of how they want to attack his net and when they do, he’s ready for it. And combined with an absolutely punishing rebound control, it makes any shot on him a major gamble in whether or not it’s going to create an opportunity for another forward.
He was so in command over this year he ended up completely taking over at the Hlinka Memorial and having an absolutely lights out U18 World Juniors, where he had the best Save-% among goaltenders.
Where Rodrigue still has work to go is that even after the combine, Rodrigue is still a very slight young man, being less than 170 lbs. Kid’s gonna have to put on a lot of weight over the next couple of years in order to make it into the prospect system of a team. Where Rodrigue has a goaltending issue is his glove, in that sometimes he can miss some gimme shots or get caught up near the crossbar not being able to catch pucks.
Rodrigue is a work in progress, but what he brings to the table is a fast, technically sound netminder who can help a team get some wins. It’ll be up to GMs to decide whether or not Rodrigue sounds like a player worth considering. The Voltigeurs only recently has risen to prominence (going from 12th in the league to 5th in under a year), so hopefully it’ll be up to the Drummondville staff to show what he looks like in front of a group with more defensive acumen than the ones he’s been with so far.
Player Rankings:
1st by NHL Central Scouting among North American Goaltenders
83rd by FutureConsiderations.com
1st among goalies by ISS Hockey
3rd among goalies by Bob McKenzie
70th by Craig Button
Olivier Rodrigue Statline
| Year | Team | League | Games Played | Save-% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | League | Games Played | Save-% |
| 2015-16 | Jonquière Élites | QMAAA | 26 | 0.923 |
| 2016-17 | Drummondville Voltigeurs | QMJHL | 41 | 0.878 |
| Canada White U17 | International | 5 | 0.894 | |
| 2017-18 | Drummondville Voltigeurs | QMJHL | 53 | 0.903 |
| Canada U18 | International | 3 | 0.949 |