The Edmonton Oilers MUST move on from goaltender Calvin Pickard

The Edmonton Oilers are finally starting to look like a team that understands the urgency of its situation. After a sluggish, frustrating start that forced management into uncomfortable changes, the wins are coming and the standings are starting to reflect the talent on the roster.

That progress matters, but winning regular-season games is only part of the equation. If the Oilers are serious about becoming a true Stanley Cup contender, there are still difficult conversations that cannot be avoided — and one of them sits squarely in the crease.

When the Oilers moved on from Stuart Skinner, it was immediately noticeable that the group played with more confidence in front of Tristan Jarry and Calvin Pickard. Pucks were managed better, breakdowns were limited, and there was a sense of calm that had been missing. Unfortunately, that early trust has not translated into consistent results.

Pickard has not been good this season

Pickard has struggled to provide reliable relief when called upon this season, and that issue has become impossible to ignore. The injury to Tristan Jarry opened the door for Pickard to take on a larger role alongside Connor Ingram, but instead of cementing his spot, he has only raised more questions.

That is what makes this situation so complicated. Pickard is well-liked in the Oilers locker room and has been part of meaningful moments during the team’s past two Stanley Cup runs. Teammates trust him, coaches respect him, and fans appreciate the role he has played. But Edmonton is no longer in a feel-good phase of its window. This is a win-now team, and at this stage, the question has to be brutally honest: do the Oilers want to play with friends, or do they want to win the Stanley Cup?

Saturday night’s comeback win against the Winnipeg Jets perfectly illustrated the dilemma. Falling into an early 3–1 hole, the Oilers needed a full-team effort to claw their way back into the game. They got it, and yes, Pickard earned the win. But the result masked a concerning reality.

An .813 save percentage on the night is not good enough for a team with championship ambitions. Over the season, his numbers tell a similar story: a 5–6–2 record with an .871 save percentage. Those are not the stats of a goaltender you can trust when the games tighten and every mistake becomes magnified.

Playoff hockey does not allow for margin. There are no easy nights, no room to “outscore” goaltending issues, and no patience for inconsistency in net. If those numbers do not raise alarm bells heading into the stretch run, then the Oilers have a far bigger problem than who starts in goal on a given night.

Letting go of a friend and respected teammate is never easy, especially in a tight locker room. But championships are not won on loyalty alone. They are won through hard decisions, accountability, and a willingness to put the team’s ultimate goal above comfort. When Tristan Jarry is healthy and ready to return, the Oilers must be willing to make that call. Moving on from Calvin Pickard may be painful, but if Edmonton truly believes this is its moment, it is a sacrifice that has to be made.