Everyone knows the Oilers have clear strengths and weaknesses. Their generational talents and strong offence makes them Stanley Cup contenders, but their defence and specifically goaltending have been getting in the way of their full potential. Now, a goalie that the Oilers passed on is having incredible success, and Ken Holland is taking some flak.
Back in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, Holland traded with Minnesota, sending the 20th overall pick in exchange for a later first round pick and a third round pick. However, with the Oilers' original pick, the Wild selected goaltender Jesper Wallstedt, who's grown to be one of the top goalie prospects in the league.
Instead of having Wallstedt to fall back on, the Oilers signed Jack Campbell to a 5 year, $5M contract - which he's underperformed so much that he's been sent to the AHL.
Hopefully, Holland can clean up his own mess and find a solution to their inconsistent goaltending. The team will give Jack Campbell one more shot in the NHL before deciding on a trade. They'd likely have to give up assets to get rid of his contract, when they could have had a young stud in Wallstedt all along.
