The Edmonton Oilers are on a bit of a high after back-to-back overtime wins, but those who watched both would tell you this team is still working through a funk. They were able to come-from-behind versus the Columbus Blue Jackets which included some very lucky bounces their way. They were then able to beat the Philadelphia Flyers only after an offside review took away what would have been a game-winning goal from the Flyers late in the third period.
There are many reasons for the Oilers’ struggles this season. The departure of several veterans up front has left the forward group rather thin. That hasn’t been helped by the fact that Zach Hyman has yet to suit up. Their blue line has also struggled. Yet again, however, goaltending continues to be this team’s biggest issue.
Stuart Skinner has been the better of the two, though he’s been far from great. Through 13 games, he owns a 2.75 goals against average (GAA) along with a .889 save percentage (SV%). As for Calvin Pickard, he’s been dreadful in the early going, posting a 4.00 GAA and a .836 SV% in six appearances, one of which came in relief of Skinner in what was an ugly 9-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche.
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The Oilers regime once again chose to entrust Skinner with the number-one role despite plenty of signs suggesting he isn’t the man for the job. That is once again proving to be the case in 2025-26, and it’s time for management to act. Here are six goalies they should consider trading for that, at the very least, would help give them some more stability in the position.
Alex Lyon (Buffalo Sabres)
The first option, and also the most realistic, is Alex Lyon of the Buffalo Sabres. The 32-year-old took some time to become an NHL regular, but has proven to be a solid tandem option since the 2022-23 season. In 11 games with the Sabres this season, he owns a respectable 2.92 GAA and a .912 SV%.
With the Sabres struggling yet again, they may be open to moving Lyon, who isn’t a long-term solution in their crease. It would also be an affordable option for the Oilers, as he is on a contract that carries a cap hit of just $1.5 million.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Another one of the more affordable options for the Oilers is Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen of the Sabres. He carries a $4.75 million cap hit on a contract that will expire after the 2028-29 season. While the cap hit isn’t a massive one, however, he does come with plenty of risk.
Luukkonen showed plenty of promise in the 2023-24 season, which helped him earn his five-year contract extension. Since signing the deal, things have gone south. He’s been relegated to a full-time back-up role behind Lyon, and has an ugly 2.91 GAA along with a .877 SV% through three starts. The Oilers brass would need to figure out if those numbers are truly indicative of the goalie he is, or whether it’s a byproduct of the Sabres’ overall struggles.
Elvis Merzlikins (Columbus Blue Jackets)
Elvis Merzlikins is a goalie whose name has been discussed when talking about a potential trade to the Oilers for some time. The 31-year-old carries a $5.4 million cap hit that will expire following the 2026-27 season. The fact that the contract doesn’t have a ton of term left makes acquiring him less risky, though there would still need to be caution taken.
After two strong years to begin his NHL career, Merzlikins has posted a SV% below .900 in each of the past three seasons. He has rebounded somewhat in 2025-26, posting a 3.14 GAA and a .908 SV% in seven starts. Whether he’s a true upgrade over Skinner is truly a debate, though again, he’s been starting behind a far worse team in recent years.
Jordan Binnington (St. Louis Blues)
Another goalie who was linked to the Oilers last season was Jordan Binnington. With the St. Louis Blues struggling immensely in 2025-26, there has been speculation that they may once again consider moving the 32-year-old.
Binnington has this season and one additional remaining on his contract which carries a $6 million cap hit. What’s interesting about Binnington is that while his regular season numbers in 2025-26, and other regular seasons, for that matter, haven’t been particularly strong. The intriguing thing with him is that he seems to always find a way to elevate his game when the stakes are at their highest. With the Oilers hoping to win a Stanley Cup, that reputation he’s earned may be enough for management to pull the trigger.
Juuse Saros (Nashville Predators)
With the Nashville Predators in a complete funk once again this season, you can’t help but wonder if they would be willing to move Juuse Saros. The 30-year-old holds all the cards with a no-movement clause, but it’s more than possible that he’s willing to waive that in order to join a Cup contender.
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The issue for acquiring Saros is not only the fact that he’s struggled as of late, but also that he’s in the first of an eight-year deal that carries a whopping $7.74 million cap hit. Given the Oilers salary cap situation, they would have to get very creative in order to trade for Saros. That said, other general managers have been able to make some savvy moves in the past while remaining cap compliant. It’s up to Stan Bowman to figure out a way to do that himself.
Oilers Can’t Keep Waiting
The vast majority of these trades would be difficult to pull off for Bowman, but that is no excuse at this point. This fan base has been told for years that these deals can’t be done, only to see other teams pull off nifty trades in various ways in order to improve their roster. It’s become very clear the Oilers cannot win with this current duo, and it’s up to management to fix that.