The Edmonton Oilers haven’t necessarily been quiet at the NHL Entry Draft over recent years and the trades made have set their goaltending future, even if nobody realized it at the time. Twice since 2017 have the Oilers traded up to draft a goalie they wanted, and once during that span has the team traded down and lost one. We are going to look at all three, what it meant at the time, how it’s impacting the team and organization now, and what it might do in the future.
Oilers Had Their Eyes on Skinner – June 24, 2017
Stuart Skinner may very well be the saviour in net for the Oilers. He certainly was last season because if not for him, they would have struggled to even make it into the playoffs with the numbers Jack Campbell put up in his first season with the team. Six years ago, the Oilers used their 82nd-overall pick (third round) and 126th-overall pick (fifth round) to trade up four spots to No. 78. This trade with the Arizona Coyotes allowed the Oilers to ensure they got their goalie of the future in Skinner before he was taken.
He might have struggled in his first and second seasons pro in 2018-19 and 2019-20, but he flipped a switch once he got much more comfortable with the speed and skill of the game. He quickly proved he deserved a look in the NHL and, while only getting into one game in 2020-21, performed well in 13 games in 2021-22, giving the Oilers the full confidence to use him in the NHL full-time last season. That’s exactly what happened and he greatly exceeded expectations, also earning a team-friendly, three-year deal. He not only looks to split starts with Campbell for the foreseeable future, he will likely also show the team that, while being young, that he can be their starter for a long time afterwards.
Oilers Made a Rare Early Goalie Selection – June 23, 2018
The following year — not because the team didn’t like their selection in Skinner the year prior, but because they needed goaltending depth — the Oilers once again traded up to pick the goalie they wanted. This time the Oilers jumped up nine spots from 71st (third round) all the way to 62nd. It cost the Oilers another fifth-round pick (133rd) to send to the Montreal Canadiens, so this deal was more in favour of the Oilers than their previous one. Edmonton had their eyes on Olivier Rodrigue at 62nd overall. He was the highest drafted goalie by the Oilers since Devan Dubnyk (2004, first round), although Samu Perhonen was also taken at No. 62 in 2011.
Related: 3 Oilers Hot Takes for the 2023-24 Season
While goaltenders take a bit of time to develop fully, we have just gotten our best look and reassurance from Rodrigue that he is starting to turn into another goalie of the future. In eerily similar fashion to Skinner, he also struggled in his first two years after turning pro, splitting time between the American Hockey League (AHL) and the ECHL. It wasn’t until last season where Rodrigue posted a .912 save percentage and stuck in the AHL for the full season. He is a year behind Skinner, but might be a casualty of the Oilers having two NHL goalies and there being no room available for a rookie to come in. He may very well get in some games for the Oilers this season so everyone can judge how he handles the top league in the world.
Oilers Didn’t Draft Wallstedt – July 23, 2021
The most recent trade involving a goalie that will surely play a part in the future in Edmonton was a trade in 2021 when the Oilers didn’t mind dropping two spots in the first round and losing out on Jesper Wallstedt at 20th overall. They swapped 20th overall and received 22nd and 90th from the Minnesota Wild. Wallstedt has developed very nicely and is one of the top goaltending prospects in the NHL.
Sure, the Oilers already had Rodrigue in the system and Skinner about to graduate to the NHL at the time, but the team didn’t know what could happen with either of them. Goalies drafted in the first round are a rarity and for the most part in recent years, work out for the team to take a chance on them. The Oilers are in win-now mode and they thought a forward, who they drafted (Xavier Bourgault) with the 22nd-overall pick, would be able to contribute earlier to the success of the team than Wallstedt. It’s a little too early to tell just how much of an impact Wallstedt will have on the Wild and what the Oilers missed out on, but it looks to be like a future number one goalie. Edmonton hasn’t had the best luck with goalies over the past two decades, so giving up the chance to add a strong candidate to the ranks may not have been the best decision.
Despite not selecting Wallstedt with their first-round pick in 2021, the Oilers have a bright future in net that they’re already reaping the rewards of. It is a good look in the organization and will hopefully pay off for a team looking to win not just one Stanley Cup, but multiple with this group.
