Oilers Should Keep 3 Goalies Until the Olympic Break

The Edmonton Oilers have three goalies on the roster: Tristan Jarry, Connor Ingram, and Calvin Pickard. While that’s not ideal long-term, three goalies can be beneficial in the short term.

The Oilers recently placed forward Adam Henrique on long-term injured reserve (LTIR), and he’s not expected back until after the Olympic break. Therefore, the Oilers can use his $3 million cap hit to keep all three netminders on the roster until Henrique is activated. That gives the organization some time before it must make a decision. With their condensed schedule, having three goalies is a smart move.

Tristan Jarry’s Injury Concerns

Jarry isn’t necessarily injury-prone, but there are some concerns. The Oilers acquired Jarry from the Pittsburgh Penguins, sending Stuart Skinner and Brett Kulak the other way. The newest Oiler started three games for Edmonton before a lower-body injury sidelined him for nearly one month. Now, he’s back, but it’s important to ease him in and give him a few extra games off, especially during this busy January.

“We aren’t set on what we’re going to do with three goalies. Will it be for the rest of the season, a few weeks, or a few months? We haven’t decided yet. With Jarry just returning from injury, we want to be cautious and not overplay him,” head coach Kris Knoblauch stated when asked about the three-goalie system. The Oilers are currently in a five-game stretch in seven days and have 10 more games before the Olympic break. So, it makes sense to keep three goalies on the roster in case of injury.

Oilers Can Get Creative

Pickard is just there for the locker room morale and shouldn’t play a game. However, they can get creative with their goalie deployment. For example, Jarry is slated to start in Vancouver against the Canucks on Saturday night (Jan. 17). The Oilers also play at home on Sunday (Jan. 18). So, what if Jarry and Pickard flew to Vancouver, and Ingram stayed in Edmonton to prepare for Sunday’s game against the St. Louis Blues? Edmonton has had a lot of travel this week, so it makes sense to keep Sunday’s starter at home.

Then the Oilers begin an eight-game home stand. In games Jarry doesn’t start, why even dress him? Pickard can back up Ingram, giving Jarry more rest. He doesn’t need to go through his full game day routine. You need Jarry healthy and ready to go for the playoffs. Ingram’s great play has developed trust with the coaching staff. They can be patient with Jarry’s recovery because they have a capable netminder to carry the workload.

Calvin Pickard Will Take Away Opportunities in the AHL

The organization must contemplate its options with Pickard. Ideally, they will seek a trade and get a late-round pick in return. But they could also place him on waivers. However, that’s risky. Not because he might get claimed, but what if he doesn’t?