NHL analyst believes Oilers have already made major goalie roster decision
Photo credit: Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images
According to reports, goalie Calvin Pickard's fate with the Oilers has already been sealed.
Call-up goalie supplants usual back-up
Against Vegas, goalie call-up Connor Ingram secured his first Oilers' win with a .903 SV%.
On his second game, against Calgary, Ingram recorded his second win as an Oiler, on an impressive .947 SV%.
For tonight's game against the Calgary Flames, Ingram is again projected to get the start in goal. The pattern, though favoring the Oilers, is becoming painfully clear for back-up Calvin Pickard, though it should not come as a surprise.
With an .861 SV% and 3.93 GAA on the season, it's impossible for coach Knoblauch to trust that the goalie can get his team a win.
Even less so when you consider that Ingram was called-up from Bakersfield, following his own poor start to the season. But the Oilers' coach had enough faith in him to start him in goal, and he delivered.
Everything points toward Pickard not being with the team when the March 6 trade-deadline comes around. Reports of GM Bowman trolling the goalie-market continue to make their way on social media, and justifiably.
Edmonton is poised to win a Stanley Cup this season. Connor McDavid has indicated this in several ways already. One, when he took a steep salary discount with his extension, making room for roster-improvements.
And two, as we speak, with his elite and historical play, leading the Oilers to victory when the season seemed to be slipping toward disaster. He wasn't going to have it.
There is no room for mediocrity on this team. Whether you like it or not, Pickard has been mediocre to bad. By all accounts, he won't be with this lineup when the post-season begins, likely even before.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 27 | 826 ANSWERS NHL analyst believes Oilers have already made major goalie roster decision Will this be Calvin Pickard's last season with the Edmonton Oilers? | ||
| yes | 743 | 90 % |
| no | 83 | 10 % |
| List of polls | ||