With the Edmonton Oilers postseason presence moments away from confirmation, and questions and commentary circulate on potential first round opponents, there's a bigger question for the group as they chase their third straight Stanley Cup Final. They have elite offense and (lately) improved defense, but all eyes will be focused on the Oilers' net when Round 1 begins.
Goaltending questions have been a constant over the past few years, all the way back to the reign of Mike Smith. And while it can be hard to differentiate between questionable goaltending and questionable defensive play in front of that goalie, the source of the issue has been pretty clear over the course of the regular season.
Bowman failed to upgrade
Whether or not Stuart Skinner was ever going to be the starter on a championship-winning Oiler team can be debated, but the thing that everyone should be able to agree on is that Tristan Jarry was not a better option. Edmonton threw in a 2nd round pick from the distant future (2029), along with a decent defender in Brett Kulak. There had to be a belief in Oilers' GM Stan Bowman's head that the best piece in the deal was Jarry.
But even though Skinner's Goals Against Average (GAA) and Save Percentage are worse than they were in Edmonton, it would be hard to argue that Jarry's presence has been any sort of improvement. No, it would be impossible. Jarry's GAA has gone up 1.2 as an Oiler versus when he was a Pittsburgh Penguin. His Oilers-only Save Percentage (.858) would rank him 86th in the league, and his season long average isn't that much better (.882 and 69th).
Better Options?
Connor Ingram's strong recent play had him firmly situated as the starter, but his early exit from this week's victory over the San Jose Sharks must have management worried about contingency planning once again. Jarry was decent in coverage, but he only faced four shots, so it can hardly be enough to assuage the larger concerns. Jarry also may not be 100% healthy.
Bakersfield Condor's goalie Calvin Pickard played a big role in the early rounds of the 2025 Playoffs, and if the two netminders on the NHL roster aren't ready to go, there's a chance that Pickard could be asked to fill in once again. Pickard's heroics were a great story, but his stats tell us the truth. He's a career back up, and even his Condor's stats aren't great (.881 and 3-3).
What's the answer?
Well the ideal answer is a time machine and the selection of Jesper Wallstedt back in 2021, but until the technology exists, the Oilers need to look in their own room. A healthy Ingram seems best suited to the style of defense the Oilers have been playing lately, during which they've managed to string multiple wins together and take over first in the Pacific Division.
Jarry might take the demotion as a challenge, or he might prove himself to be a playoff performer, giving the Oilers two decent options, but at this stage he can't be asked to win a series on his own. Pickard's lightning in a bottle from last year can't be seen as anything more than it is, but if Ingram's health remains in doubt and Jarry struggles, the Oilers might have to see if they can catch it twice.