Oilers Should Only Be Interested in Mackenzie Blackwood

The original plan was to ease Skinner into the NHL as Jack Campbell’s backup, but that didn’t work out. Skinner has seen a heavy workload since the start of his NHL journey, and he hasn’t had much help. Even now, Skinner plays the most, with Campbell in the American Hockey League (AHL) and Pickard as the backup.

The Oilers’ schedule is about to pick up with enough games to catch up to the rest of the league, and their young starter will get tired if this continues. There’s also the chance he goes cold.

The Oilers need to acquire another goaltender in the coming weeks, and many people are still debating who this should be. But there seems to be one goalie target for the Oilers, despite all of the trade chatter, and that’s Mackenzie Blackwood.

Blackwood Not the Problem in San Jose; Rising Oilers Support for Skinner

From the start of the season, the Oilers have known that one goalie in particular would be available at the 2024 Trade Deadline. The San Jose Sharks started the season with one point in 11 games — all losses. This not only took them out of the playoff race but also showed other teams that the goaltenders weren’t the problem: they faced tons of shots with save percentages hovering around .900, much better than the Oilers at that time.

The Oilers have forced their way up the standings after a tough start. Even as their goaltenders improved greatly from the start of the season, the run Skinner is on since Nov. 24, 2023 — 14-2-0 with a 1.87 goals against average (GAA) and .930 save percentage (SV%) — won’t last forever. There will be a time soon when the Oilers have to lean on another goalie, and that should be Blackwood. Even though he has a .892 SV%, he is behind a very poor team in San Jose that has multiple losing streaks of 11-plus games halfway through the season. He also faces 30-plus shots a game. His numbers would look a lot better on a team that spends less time in their own end, can lead in games, and defend much better.

Why Blackwood Should Stand Above the Rest for the Oilers

Elvis Merzlikins and Jacob Markstrom have been in the news recently as two established goalies who are making significant money and expected to be moved. It’s just a matter of time before Merzlikins is moved, as he and the Columbus Blue Jackets have been looking for a new home so he can play more games. Seeing as the Oilers would need to clear up a lot of money and have Merzlikins for three more seasons after this one, it doesn’t make as much sense. He also wants to be a starter, not a backup. At best, he would be splitting time in Edmonton with Skinner, who is playing so well.

As for Markstrom, his value won’t get any higher after an impressive month of play. The Calgary Flames are expected to sell several pieces and finally restructure their roster, so it makes sense his name would come up. As a Pacific Division rival, it would be difficult for the Oilers to swing this, especially with the money as well. Markstrom has three seasons left on his contract that carries him $6 million average annual value (AAV.)

The Montreal Canadiens are also looking to finish the season with two goalies, which means they would have to move one, ideally Jake Allen. As his play has fallen off, the appeal has worn off, and he doesn’t exactly have a small cap hit, commanding a $3.85 million AAV for this season and next.

There are less significant names, but given all that, Blackwood has to be the number-one target for the Oilers.

If the Oilers can move Campbell this season, it will be to a team willing to take his cap hit, but ideally, he would be included in a trade to acquire a goalie. The Sharks have a lot of cap space. It may cost the Oilers more assets than their liking (potentially two first round picks or more) to move Campbell, but that doesn’t mean Blackwood is off the table.

Blackwood has an AAV of $2.35 million through next season. This is very affordable for a goalie who can split time with Skinner and has more experience. He has proved that he can win his team games this season considering his quality start percentage is .520. In big games, like what the Oilers will face in the playoffs during their quest for a Stanley Cup, having a goalie who can steal games is definitely something that is needed.

If the Oilers get Blackwood from the Sharks, having him through next season provides the perfect window for Skinner to finish developing, or at least come close. The goalies would cost less than $5 million combined and would arguably be one of the better tandems in the league.