Goaltending has consistently been a topic of conversation throughout the Connor McDavid era in Edmonton. The Oilers have never had a true number 1 goaltender during his tenure. And that problem has been holding back the squad for too long.
The Oilers have come up just short in the Stanley Cup finals the last 2 years to the Florida Panthers. A big reason why is in net, with Florida having an elite starting goalie they can rely on in Sergei Bobrovsky while the Oilers have dealt with inconsistency in the position.
Edmonton has had a history of hot and cold goaltending, this current rotation is a prime example of that. The crop of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard has not got the job done, plain and simple. You’re not going to win the Stanley Cup with your starter and backup goalies posting sub .900 save percentages in the playoffs in today’s game. While it appears Edmonton will at least start the 25-26 season with the same Skinner-Pickard tandem, an in-season change appears inevitable.
What is the latest on the Oilers goalie conundrum?
Via Jason Gregor on “DFO Rundown,” he believes it is probable we see a change made in the Oilers net by the conclusion of the 2026 NHL trade deadline. Gregor says he would be surprised if the Edmonton goalie rotation remained the same by that point.
Much of this will have to do with how both Skinner and Pickard perform this year. They will have a last shot to prove themselves, but the leash appears shorter than ever. Oilers GM Stan Bowman put his faith in them last trade deadline by keeping them around. It seems unlikely they last this time around, but we’ll see if we’re proven wrong.
