1 Oiler was playing to save his NHL career last weekend
Photo credit: Kim Klement Neitzel - Imagn Images
Calvin Pickard's play against the Tampa Bay Lightening last Thursday may have quieted the critics, but is it enough to avoid being traded.
Analyst Kurt Leavins spoke to this point in a recent Edmonton Journal article:
I thought Calvin Pickard may have been playing for his NHL career on Thursday. His year, while influence by poor coverage in front of him, has been concerning. While it is just one game, he was terrific and may have answered a few critics.
- Kurt Leavins
- Kurt Leavins
A question of too little, too late for goaltender
Calvin Pickard allowed only two goals on 35 shots against Tampa in his team's 2-1 OT loss; that's a .943 SV%. Elite play by a goalie battling for his NHL career.
Except, on the season, his SV% is quite a bit lower; .851 in fact, with a SV% of 3.87. Not so elite, unfortunately. And it is unfortunate, because Calvin is a fighter, and is well-liked by all his teammates, who have campaigned to keep him in the lineup.
Yet, the Oilers are in win-now mode and don't have the luxury of time. They need consistent, high-level performances from their goaltenders, with management under pressure to make a change if the current tandem of Pickard and Stuart Skinner cannot provide that consistency.
Pickard's and Skinner's struggles, combined with the team's need to solidify its goaltending for a Stanley Cup push, have made both potential trade candidates.
Whether it will be Skinner and/or Pickard to be traded by the dead-line remains to be seen. Pickard is in the final year of a two-year, $2M contract, making him an unrestricted free agent effective July 1, 2026.
This contract situation adds to his potential trade value and makes it easier for the Oilers to move on if they acquire an upgrade. Same for Skinner, who is also an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season.
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