The Edmonton Oilers need a goalie if they hope to win the Stanley Cup this season. Yes, I know. Stuart Skinner was the man between the pipes a year ago when they were just one win shy of capturing their first Cup since 1990. It wasn’t due to his brilliance, however, as he had to be replaced by Calvin Pickard for a brief period of time in their second-round matchup versus the Vancouver Canucks.
Skinner is having yet another rough regular season, this one even worse than last. The 26-year-old is sporting an ugly 2.84 goals-against average (GAA) and a .898 save percentage (SV%) through 39 games. It’s not as if the Oilers have an internal solution to replace him, as backup Calvin Pickard was thought of as more of a third-string netminder prior to earning a role with the Oilers partway through 2023-24.
Related: Oilers’ Roster Is Far Too Flawed to Win the Stanley Cup
While some are hopeful Skinner can elevate his game for the remainder of the season and into the playoffs, it isn’t likely. This isn’t a case of a goalie who is just in a rough patch, but rather one being exposed for his flaws. His inability to move laterally across the crease has become a well-known weakness to everybody in the NHL, and opposing teams are making him and the Oilers pay for it.
This current Edmonton duo is one that could end up costing them in the playoffs, perhaps much earlier into a potential run than most envision. General manager (GM) Stan Bowman needs to act quickly, and making a move for one of these seven netminders is in his and the team’s best interest.
Jordan Binnington
One name that has been floated around as a potential trade target is St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington. The Blues certainly don’t have to move him, though the thought is that they may be able to capitalize on his high value thanks to a big performance in the 4 Nations Face-Off championship game.
Binnington’s regular season stats throughout the vast majority of his career aren’t outstanding by any stretch, but he’s a proven winner. He elevates his game to an entirely new level when the stakes are raised, something Skinner hasn’t proven he’s able to do.
Acquiring Binnington would be no easy feat for the Oilers, as he carries a $6 million cap hit through the 2026-27 season. Bowman would need to free up money by trading a rostered player, and then be prepared to give up some assets to acquire the Blues goalie.
John Gibson
It seems the guy most Oilers fans have their eye on is Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson. Once regarded as a borderline elite goalie, his career has spiralled downward for several seasons, although he’s had a respectable bounce back in 2024-25. Through 24 games, he has a 2.61 GAA paired with a .916 SV%.
The issue with acquiring Gibson is that he carries an expensive $6.4 million cap hit through 2026-27. That makes him a risky option to trade for, though the Ducks do have a ton of cap space. If they’re willing to retain some of that contract, the Oilers best be all over him.
Thatcher Demko
The Kevin Lankinen extension in Vancouver suggests that the Canucks are no longer planning on having Thatcher Demko as their long-term option between the pipes. It’s quite a shocking outcome, as the 29-year-old was viewed as one of the better puck-stoppers in the NHL just a year ago.
Unfortunately, injuries have hampered Demko as of late, to the point that it appears the Canucks are giving up on him. That’s certainly cause for concern, and is something the Oilers would need to do their homework on before acquiring him. He’s currently on the injured reserve with a lower-body injury, with what is said to be a week-to-week ailment.
If the Oilers are able to get clarity that Demko is indeed only out for a few weeks, and believe they can get him back on track, he’s a guy they should be prepared to go all in on. Should he get back to the level he was at last season, his $5 million cap hit, which runs through 2025-26, is more than reasonable. There’s obviously a ton of risk, but he’s an option worth inquiring about.
Jake Allen
The New Jersey Devils have had to rely heavily on Jake Allen as of late due to an injury to Jacob Markstrom. Markstrom is, however, expected to return early-to-mid March. Prior to his injury, he was the undisputed number-one goaltender in New Jersey, and will presumably claim that role back once healthy.
The Devils may not want to move on from Allen due to potential health concerns with Markstrom, but if they believe he’ll be fine upon his return, it’s something they may consider if they get an asset back that interests them. The 34-year-old is in the final year of a deal that carries a $1.925 million cap hit. He does have a modified no-trade clause, but may be willing to waive it in order to get the opportunity of being a starter for a team with Stanley Cup aspirations.
Karel Vejmelka
The Utah Hockey Club aren’t out of the playoff picture, but it’s not looking great at this time. They sit behind both the Calgary Flames and Canucks, both of whom also have games in hand. Utah seems likely to become sellers ahead of the trade deadline, and one name that will receive interest is Karel Vejmelka.
Vejmelka is a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) who has had a solid season to date with a 2.48 GAA along with a .910 SV%. His numbers throughout his career are far from great, though they’ve come behind an organization that has struggled to put up wins throughout his tenure. At the very least, he’s an upgrade over Pickard, and could very well prove to be a better option than Skinner.
Jonathan Quick
Jonathan Quick may have no interest in being traded. The future Hall of Famer carries a 20-team no-trade list, and recently admitted to the TNT panel that he enjoys being in a backup role because it gives him the proper amount of time to recover after each start he makes. That said, this could very well be the last season of his career, and the opportunity to win his fourth Stanley Cup may be hard to pass on.
The New York Rangers have done a decent job at battling back into the playoff picture, and may very well find themselves in the dance by the time the season comes to an end. That said, few look at them as a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. The chance to win one more time could entice Quick, and though his best days are behind him, he may have one last run under his belt.
James Reimer
Much like Quick, there’s a legitimate argument to be made that he wouldn’t be an upgrade over Skinner at this point in his career. The 36-year-old’s best days are behind him, as proven by the fact that he’s appeared in just nine games for the Buffalo Sabres in 2024-25.
Again, however, Reimer would be a better option than Pickard, and comes with no risk as he makes just $1 million and is a pending UFA. At the very least, trading for him could be somewhat of a wake-up call for Skinner to find some more consistency in his game, and, if he falters, Oilers fans should feel more comfortable handing the keys to Reimer over Pickard.
Change is Needed
It’s been a long time since the Oilers have had a truly reliable option in net. The last starter they could count on to give them a chance to win each and every night was in 2016-17, when Cam Talbot appeared in 73 games and finished fourth in Vezina Trophy voting. Sure enough, the Oilers, despite a questionable roster, were able to get into the playoffs.
Related: 4 Players Oilers May Trade to Free Up Cap Space
Talbot’s performance that season goes to show just how crucial it is to have great goaltending, which this Oilers team is far from having right now. While the majority of names on this list aren’t top-tier goalies, several are good enough to give what is an otherwise loaded roster an opportunity to win it all.
