The Edmonton Oilers are going to be making a move before the trade deadline. What that move exactly is remains to be seen, but with Evander Kane having just undergone yet another surgery, it’s widely expected that they will take advantage of his long-term injured reserve (LTIR) situation.
Related: Has Evander Kane Played His Final Game With the Edmonton Oilers?
The general consensus amongst fans and media is that the Oilers will be looking to add a defenceman. That makes sense, as they lost several blue liners from a season ago, and need to get deeper in that position. What’s unfortunate, however, is that it will likely limit them from adding anywhere else.
Oilers Need a Stable Goalie
One area where the Oilers could really use some help is in between the pipes. Some will mention that Stuart Skinner helped lead them to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final a season ago. What they will leave out was that he sat on the bench for two straight games in the second round versus the Vancouver Canucks due to some shaky performances. That doesn’t happen with a true number one.
What they will also leave out is the fact that the game-winning goal Skinner allowed in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final was a soft one. In a game where there is almost no room for error, the Oilers’ top goaltender collapsed, and his team suffered for it.
These are far from the only lows with Skinner. He’s been below average for the second-straight season. Through 28 appearances this season, he owns a 2.77 goals against average (GAA) and a .898 save percentage (SV%). Those numbers are quite uninspiring, and played a big part as to why he was left off Canada’s 4 Nations Faceoff roster.
Behind Skinner is Calvin Pickard, who is a borderline NHL goalie at best. The 32-year-old had spent the majority of his career since 2016-17 in the American Hockey League (AHL) but was given another opportunity to be an NHL regular with the Oilers last season. To his credit, he was solid, but it’s quite evident that he’s best suited for a number three role.
Pickard, who has been given a ton of soft matchups this season, also has a .898 SV%. That number is a very disappointing one, and makes it difficult for head coach Kris Knoblauch to give him more starts in hopes of getting Skinner going.
While some are still high on Skinner, it seems as though he’s best suited for a true tandem role. The Oilers don’t have that, as Pickard isn’t good enough to be counted on to start nearly 50 percent of games over the course of a full 82-game schedule. That has resulted in the Oilers being forced to run with Skinner as a true number one, despite it becoming increasingly obvious he isn’t good enough for such a role.
Related: Oilers’ Jeff Skinner Deserves More of an Opportunity
Ideally, the Oilers would go out at the deadline and add a goalie who they are confident could come in for Skinner and carry the load if need be. While some fans may still prefer a defenceman, be honest with yourself for a second; if Skinner went down to injury early in the playoffs, would you be confident that Pickard could lead this team to a Stanley Cup championship?
To the credit of this duo, they did enough to help the Oilers achieve some serious success last season. That said, keeping them as the tandem going into yet another crucial playoff run is an absurdly risky move, and one that, based on their play this season, has a strong chance of backfiring. If there are any goalies available who management believes could help, they’d be best to strongly consider a trade.
