Heading into the 2025-26 NHL season, the main topic of discussion surrounding the Edmonton Oilers was their goaltending. Entering the season with both Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard between the pipes was not what many fans had hoped to see but with changes behind the bench, there was some room for optimism.
Unfortunately, after a disappointing start to the year, the Oilers sat outside of the Stanley Cup playoff picture by the quarter season mark. This caused the team to have to make some changes, most notably moving on from their homegrown starting goalie, Stuart Skinner. Replacing him with longtime Pittsburgh Penguins starter, Tristan Jarry.
Jarry began his Oilers career on the right foot with a 3-0-0 record in his first three starts. However he suffered an injury and has been out since but is nearing return very soon according to Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch.
The Oilers will soon face a conundrum in their crease
In his absence, the net has been split by backup Calvin Pickard and the Oilers insurance marker, Connor Ingram after his recall from their American Hockey League affiliate.
Over the past few weeks, the Oilers have played 10 games since the injury with Ingram making six starts, holding a 3-2-1 record with an .892 save percentage and five of his six games coming above .900. He has not stood on his head but Pickard on the other hand has struggled.
Through his four games the Oilers are 2-2-0 and Pickard has finished with a save percentage below .900 in three out of four. On the season as a whole, Pickard has struggled and has an overall record of 5-6-2 with a .871 save percentage.
The Oilers must move on from Calvin Pickard
There is still some time for it to change but the answer seems clear, the Oilers must move on from the 33 year old veteran goalie. He has been shaky in net dating back to last season and even going back the past three years, Ingram outclasses him.
At 5-on-5, Ingram has played 78 games and Pickard 75 over the past three seasons with the former having a goals saved above expected (GSAx) of 8.55 compared to Pickard's 0.12 GSAx (evolving-hockey.com).
The Oilers new(ish) acquisition in Ingram has shown some very intriguing play in his limited usage with the club. Play that is good enough to warrant a further look down the stretch and hopefully enough to capture a full-time NHL job.
If the Oilers do decide to move on from one or both and hope to make a trade, the time to act is very soon. The 2026 NHL Olympic roster freeze is set to hit in less than a month and with the NHL Trade Deadline soon after the freeze is lifted, the time left to work out trades is limited.
Oilers general manager Stan Bowman and his staff will have to work diligently if they want to secure their goaltending tandem ahead of the Stanley Cup playoffs. At the very least a tandem of Jarry and Ingram is better than what they entered the season with.