It’s been a tale of two teams for the Edmonton Oilers this season. On the one hand, the high-powered Oilers’ offence has beaten teams into submission. Case in point, the Oilers pounded the New York Rangers on Saturday night 6-2. Connor McDavid had three points, Leon Draisaitl had a goal and an assist, while Mattias Janmark and Connor Brown had multiple-point games.
On the other hand, there’s the Edmonton Oilers’ team that flopped against the lowly Montreal Canadiens, getting shut out 3-0 on Nov. 18. But amid the flops, there have been games, such as the one against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Nov. 16, in which the Oilers seemingly had the win in the proverbial bag, only to let it slip away.
That game against the Leafs highlighted a crucial issue: The lack of consistent goaltending. Almost immediately, the finger points to Stuart Skinner, the incumbent starter. While Skinner has been brilliant at times, his overall numbers don’t jump off the screen.
Skinner has won seven games with a 3.23 GAA and an .882 save percentage. Those numbers would have been respectable in the 1980s, but they won’t cut it in today’s NHL.
Then, there’s backup Calvin Pickard, who has much more respectable numbers. Pickard has four wins, a 2.44 GAA, and an .893 save percentage. Again, these numbers won’t really impress anyone. But they’re better than Skinner’s.
This situation has prompted Oilers Nation to speculate about a permanent solution between the pipes. However, there aren’t any top-tier goaltenders available at the moment, at least not that we know of. The closest we’ve heard is the oft-injured John Gibson of the Anaheim Ducks.
But there could be a solution between the pipes right under the Oilers’ noses.
Olivier Rodrigue could be the solution to the Edmonton Oilers goaltending inconsistency
Rodrigue had a relatively strong training camp. However, he was sent down to the AHL in order to get more playing time. However, Rodrigue could be pushing himself into the conversation. He’s got a 5-3 mark with a 2.44 GAA and a .926 save percentage with the Bakersfield Condors.
Those numbers could compel Oilers management to give Rodrigue a shot this season. The Oilers are currently in the second wildcard spot in the Western Conference, tied with the Colorado Avalanche at 24 points, and one point up on the Vancouver Canucks.
As such, the Oilers cannot afford to let more points slip away like they did in Toronto. Moreover, the Oilers need consistency between the pipes. Of course, it’s hard to pin the team’s playoff hopes on a rookie goaltender.
But do the Oilers really have a choice?
They can just try to outscore everybody and hope for the best. Or, the club can look for a solution that could, at the very least, provide a path forward.
In my estimation, Rodrigue should get an audition this season. Unless Skinner or Pickard play out of their minds, Rodrigue could force the Oilers to give him a shot sooner rather than later.