The Edmonton Oilers were right not to trade for a netminder at this year’s NHL trade deadline. I know that there has been plenty of discussion regarding how the crease has been the Oilers’ biggest question mark this season.
I can’t help but agree with that assessment. Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard have played their respective versions of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It’s hard to tell who’s between the pipes on any given night.
While the team can get a 30+ save performance from Skinner or Pickard and win a game they shouldn’t, either goalie can blow a tire and cost the team two crucial points. That being said, the Edmonton Oilers did the right thing by passing on a deal for a goaltender at the trade deadline.
The options out there were underwhelming, to say the least. Plus, given the prices on the trade market this deadline season, the Oilers did well to sidestep the carnage. Just look at the Jake Walman trade. It took a first-round pick to get the deal done. In any other situation, the Oilers wouldn’t have had to pay that much.
But this year’s market was a seller’s dream. And so, other teams paid through the nose to get solid players. Be that as it may, the Oilers made the right choice by saving their ammo for later on. However, the team is stuck with Stuart Skinner, for better or worse.
Oilers have a better chance to land a quality goalie during offseason
This year’s deadline goalie options were pretty much reduced to John Gibson and potentially Jordan Binnington. The most talked-about name was Gibson. He was rumored to be the Oilers’ top choice to shore up the crease. However, Gibson isn’t precisely what the Oilers need at this point.
A good comparison is the move the Colorado Avalanche pulled off to get MacKenzie Blackwood. Blackwood has been terrific in Colorado, replacing the train wreck that Alexandar Georgiev had become. Such a move would have given the Oilers the stability the club needs.
Unfortunately, neither Gibson nor Binnington were the right options at this point. Gibson just isn’t the guy the Edmonton Oilers need and Binnington would have cost an arm and a leg.
But things will change this offseason. For instance, Adin Hill will potentially hit the market this summer. Other names to consider are Dan Vladar, Anton Forsberg, and Vitek Vanacek. Hill has a Stanley Cup to his credit while the other goalies could be solid tandem options for Skinner.
But then again, why not make a bold move? The Anaheim Ducks Lukas Dostal will be an RFA this summer. So, why not extend him an offer sheet? Dostal has been fantastic for the Ducks and could certainly be enticed to sign an offer sheet with a contender like the Oilers.
Ultimately, the Oilers will have a busy summer insofar as determining whether Skinner is the team’s number-one netminder. Of course, if the Oilers with the Cup, that decision will be much simpler. But if the Oilers don’t, Stan Bowman faces a long summer of criticism and second-guessing.
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