The Edmonton Oilers goaltending situation has been a topic of conversation in Oil Country and for good reason. The current tandem of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard has not been good enough, and rather inconsistent to say the least. Their lackluster play has sparked trade talks, and the Oilers looking into the goalie market to find an upgrade.
Stuart Skinner has had a tough start to the season, as he currently holds a 3.23 goals-against average (GAA), and an .882 save percentage (SV%) through 15 games. With that said, the Oilers shouldn’t give up on him. The Edmonton native had a similar start last season, but he rebounded nicely and was arguably the best goaltender in the league through the Oilers’ historic 16-game winning streak. He had an incredible 1.33 GAA, and .953 SV% in January 2024, and he has the ability to get hot and put up similar numbers once again. Despite this slow start, he still has a career 2.75 GAA, and .907 SV% in 138 career games.
The Oilers drafted Skinner in the third round (78th overall) in 2017. He’s still only 26 years old, and the only homegrown player drafted outside the first round. The Oilers have moves they need to make ahead of the trade deadline, but trading Skinner is not one of them. Here are three reasons why trading him would be a mistake:
Stuart Skinner’s Cap Hit
At the end of the day, we live in a salary cap world, and while the Oilers have a few bad contracts, Skinner’s is not one of them. The Edmonton netminder has a $2.6 million cap hit for this season and next, before he becomes an unrestricted free agent (UFA) in July 2026. While his play has been underwhelming, his contract brings value to a team that is always fighting to stay under the current $88 million salary cap. His salary provides flexibility to the organization for the next two seasons, especially with Evan Bouchard needing a new deal, and Leon Draisaitl’s monster extension kicking in next season. This team needs to save money somewhere, and right now, it’s in goal.
This makes acquiring a goaltender extremely difficult. They would need to find someone with a similar cap hit, or have their trade partner retain some money. There are not many upgrades that make close to Skinner’s salary. The only notable player that fits that bill is Mackenzie Blackwood in San Jose. His cap hit is $2.3 million, and he’s a pending UFA. However, the Oilers would need to take on the entirety of his contract since the Sharks don’t have any retained salary slots remaining. You are only allowed to have three players retained at a time. Since Blackwood is a pending UFA and Skinner has one year remaining, is that deal worth it for the Oilers? If they do trade for a goalie, they should find someone to play in tandem with Skinner, not replace him.
Oilers Have Bigger Holes to Fill
Like it or not, Skinner is a competent NHL netminder, and this organization will not benefit from losing him, at least not until the end of his current contract. This team has bigger holes to fill, more specifically, on the blue line. Their biggest priority should be acquiring a top-four defenceman to play alongside Darnell Nurse on the second pair.
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In order to make trades, you need to have the cap space, and the assets to do so. The Oilers have neither. The only prospects in the system with good trade value are Matt Savoie and Sam O’Reilly. On top of that, in the next two seasons, Edmonton currently has one first-round pick, both their second-round picks, and both their third-round picks. If they trade both their second, and third-round picks in 2025, they won’t be drafting until the sixth round. Even though this team is in win-now mode, they still need to replenish their farm system by keeping some of their draft picks.
Due to their current salary cap situation, any move the Oilers make will likely require salary cap retention which costs more assets. Therefore, this team won’t have the assets to acquire both a goalie and a top-four defenceman. They will likely have to choose one or the other, and a blueliner makes the most sense.
Goalies Are Too Inconsistent
Goalies can be extremely inconsistent, and incredibly hit-or-miss. For example, look no further than the Ottawa Senators and the Boston Bruins. The Senators acquired Linus Ullmark from the Bruins after three incredible seasons in Boston. However, that success has not translated with his new team, as he currently holds an underwhelming 3.10 GAA and .881 SV%. Meanwhile, since Ullmark left Boston, Jeremy Swayman has also struggled, posting a 3.16 GAA, and an .888 SV%. That same thing can happen with any goalie the Oilers acquire, so is losing Skinner worth that risk? What if the new goalie doesn’t perform? There’s too much uncertainty when acquiring a netminder, and the organization needs to ensure that any move they make is a clear upgrade.
This is an important season for the Oilers, and they need to hit a home run with any player they acquire, similar to the Mattias Ekholm trade a few years ago. With a top-four defenceman, you know what you’re getting, so there’s less risk involved. The Oilers will likely get one opportunity to make a splash, so they better make it count.
