Season Stats: 48 GP | 7 G | 18 A | 25 PTS
Age: 24
Contract Status: Signed through 2018-19
Evan Rodrigues has become one of the brighter spots to come out of the Tim Murray era.
Rodrigues began the season on injured reserve with a hand injury, after a preseason injury put him on the shelf.
Following a month-and-a-half on the sidelines, Rodrigues was deemed healthy. Due to missing such a large amount of time, along with a minor roster crunch, Rodrigues’ season began in Rochester. His stint with the Americans was ever so brief. After 10 points (5 goals, 5 assists) in 10 games, it was evident that his game was ready and again polished for the daily NHL grind.
One thing that has stuck out this season is Rodrigues’ versatility. He can play 10 minutes one night centering the third or fourth line and then ramp it up the next night playing wing with Jack Eichel, amassing almost 20 minutes. It truly is no sweat at all.
With that being mentioned too, Rodrigues’ consistency is something that should be applauded as well. Whether he is getting 10, 15 or 20 plus minutes a game, you’ll always see the same type of speed, effort and playmaking from Rodrigues.
On a very slow team, Rodrigues’ speed is like a breath of fresh air. His skating ability coupled with his above-average stick work is a recipe for success on such an offensively-challenged team.
Last season, Rodrigues tallied 25 points (7 goals, 18 assists) in 48 games. If you do the quick math, that averages out to 43 points (12 goals, 31 assists) in 82 games. Not bad for a bottom-six forward.
With his very apparent development, Rodrigues is going to be a very important depth body for the Buffalo Sabres next season. It should not be too much to expect a healthy Rodrigues to drop a 40 point campaign throughout the course of the 2018-19 NHL season.
Season Grade: B
What grade would you give Evan Rodrigues this season?
| A | 126 |
| B | 255 |
| C | 44 |
| D | 6 |
| F | 4 |