The latest buzz around the Edmonton Oilers has stemmed from the most recent trade deadline. There was a lot of speculation about whether the team would pursue a goaltender via trade before the March 7 deadline. They ultimately stuck with their current duo, much to the chagrin of many fans in Edmonton. Despite some upset people, the Oilers have a duo that got them within a few saves of a ring last season, and that is nothing to turn your nose up at.
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Since Edmonton decided to stick with the tandem of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard, they now have some decisions to make. These goalies haven’t exactly had career years, but they have the potential to get their team where they need to be as we have seen in the past. The Oilers’ coaching staff ultimately needs to decide who is getting the lion’s share of games down the stretch, as well as who will be the starter for the first game of the playoffs. Here is what should be considered when looking at the situation in net for Edmonton the rest of the way.
Regular Season Performance
The last few weeks of the regular season will certainly be telling as to who ‘the guy’ will be for the Oilers. While coaches have typically leaned Skinner’s way in the past, there may need to be some more thought put into it going forward. With roughly a month left until playoff season kicks off, it’s important to look at all sides of the situation.
Looking at the stats so far this season, there are some interesting takeaways. Skinner has started nearly double the amount of games that Pickard has, however, the numbers don’t quite add up. Pickard’s goals-against average and save percentage are better despite much less time on the ice. Now, one could argue that Pickard’s stats may be skewed because he hasn’t played much, but any regular Oilers fan can tell you that just isn’t the case. He has been noticeably better, particularly over the last stretch of games for Edmonton.
Of course, this isn’t to say Skinner has been horrific compared to his partner, but the numbers and recent play do suggest Pickard has the edge. This may incline the coaching staff to credit Pickard with a few extra starts before the end of the season. The hot streak and decent stats are something to keep in mind through this last stretch of games as head coach Kris Knoblauch and company make their picks for playoff lineups.
Playoff Starter
Determining who starts in the playoffs is usually an easy decision for most teams. Most teams in the league have their true number-one goaltender who they know they can rely on. However, there are some cases when there is more work involved in it. Just think back to when the Boston Bruins had Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman just a short while ago. They had two Vezina-caliber goalies that had proven they could start in the playoffs. Coaches played it game by game, feeling it out as they went. They did the best they could, which is exactly what the Oilers will have to do.
Edmonton may not have a goalie tandem that is Swayman-Ullmark caliber, but it is a similar situation; two goalies playing a similar game all season and not giving coaches an easy reason to pick one over the other as the clear starter.
So for the playoffs, choosing a goalie will depend on a couple of things. The first will obviously be regular season performance. As mentioned, Pickard has the better stats at the moment, but Skinner has the volume. This poses the question of what would you rather have come playoff time; the goalie with better stats or the one with more reps and time spent in the crease overall.
The other thing that must be considered is playoff experience. Skinner tended the goal in all but two games of the Oilers’ Cup run last season, and when he got hot, nothing was getting past him. However, it was when he was not hot that there was trouble. The two games he did not serve as the netminder were ones that Pickard stepped in for to give the Oilers a change of pace in net and allow Skinner to catch his breath.
Many questions need answering before that first playoff game. Do you stick with Skinner and hope for consistency to strike at the right time? Or do you roll with Pickard and hope he can handle the playoff spotlight on him?
What’s Next
Watching these two veterans go to battle for their team in the final stretch of the season will hopefully answer some goalie questions for Edmonton, but there are still some questions for the future. Both of these guys have one more season under contract before becoming free agents in the summer of 2026. The window of contention can only stay open for so long for the Oilers before problems come about. It starts and ends with goaltending and so it makes you wonder if these guys can’t get the job done, where does the team go from here?
For now, the Oilers have a fine duo in Skinner and Pickard. These goalies have taken them to the top of the mountain once. They should be able to do it again.
