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Stuart Skinner of the Edmonton Oilers makes a save during the second period in Game One of the Second Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Vancouver Canucks (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images)

Oilers Need to Address Goaltending Issues Before Playoffs

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Dale Bochon | Last updated Feb 8, 2025 3:45 PM ET

The two-week break for the 4 Nations Face-Off, Feb. 12-20, couldn’t come soon enough for a tired hockey team like the Edmonton Oilers. More specifically it could be exactly what the doctor ordered for Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner. I’m not sure what’s happened to Skinner, who is playing as if he’s sleepwalking through parts of games. He’s been letting in more than his share of bad first period goals this season including two really suspect ones against the Colorado Avalanche on Feb. 7. The goal he gave up to Cale Makar to give the Avalanche a 2-1 lead in the first period revealed a weakness in his game that teams are exploiting. Makar came in and shot glove side to which Skinner couldn’t react fast enough. This goal was reminiscent of Sam Reinhart’s winning goal in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final last June where he was beaten glove side.

As most goaltenders and goalie coaches can tell you, you’re either born with a fast glove hand like Grant Fuhr and Bernie Parent or you’re not. Unfortunately, it looks like Skinner, no matter how much he might practice, has a weakness for letting in goals on his glove side and it’s costing his team. Lately, when he starts a game, he’s leaking goals in the first period, putting his team behind the eight-ball forcing them to mount comebacks that require a lot of effort and energy that can be draining for a team. It might be time for Oilers general manager Stan Bowman to seriously address this issue.

Last season, Skinner wasn’t projected to be the starter, as Jack Campbell had played well in the preseason and was given the starter’s job. It turned out to be a decision that eventually cost Campbell his job as his poor play put the Oilers in a deep hole. The coaching staff promoted Skinner to the number one goalie and gave Calvin Pickard the backup role demoting Campbell to the minors. Despite his slow start to the 2023-24 season, Skinner eventually found his game and played well in long stretches. It seemed like expectations weren’t as high last season for him because he wasn’t the number one goalie designated to start the season. This season is a whole other story as he just hasn’t taken the ball and run with it despite being anointed the Oilers’ number one goalie from the start of the 2024-25 season.

If you could describe Skinner’s play this season, inconsistent might be the exact word you’d use to describe it. So now that we’re two-thirds of the way through the 2024-25 season with 27 games to go until the playoffs, what do you do if you’re Bowman?

Does Bowman Give Calvin Pickard the Starting Job?

Pickard has played well for the Oilers this season making big, inspiring saves at key moments in games more often than not. He currently has a 14-5-0 record with a save percentage (SV%) of .901 and a goals-against average (GAA) of 2.52. Those are respectable numbers, especially for a backup. Do the Oilers start playing him in more games, especially against upper-echelon teams? Skinner’s record against the best teams in the NHL isn’t very good. Or does Bowman shake up the roster and go after another goalie before the Vegas Golden Knights snag an available starter to solve their goaltending woes this season? Golden Knights GM Kelly McCrimmon isn’t afraid to get creative with cap space and get the players he needs, and you can bet his wheels are spinning trying to figure out a way to improve his goaltending. Is Bowman and his scouting staff thinking outside the box like McCrimmon to try and fix the Oilers’ goaltending, or will they stand pat and hope for the best going into the playoffs?

An Important Time for the Oilers Franchise

Bowman has a two-week break to examine his roster during the 4 Nations Face-Off. It’s now less than a month before the March 7 NHL Trade Deadline. Whatever decision he makes, whether to leave things as is or shake things up and bring in a new goalie, will determine the fate of the Oilers franchise for the next few years. Unfortunately, they have not had a consistently solid goaltender since Dwayne Roloson who played in Edmonton from 2005-06 to 2008-09. Is there another Roloson flying under the radar out there for Bowman to bring in? This remains to be seen.

The pressure is on the Oilers front office to get it right in the next few weeks. If they stick with Skinner and Pickard, they better hope these guys deliver. If they choose to shake things up by bringing in another goalie, they need to know they made the right decision. The pressure is on Bowman, but this is exactly what he’s being paid to do. It’ll be interesting to see what his final decision on the goaltending will be before the playoffs.