Top NHL insider reveals Oilers locker room made clear to management that one player must stay
Photo credit: Jerome Miron - USA Today Sports
The Edmonton Oilers goaltending is clearly their biggest position of weakness, but the team is unlikely to address it with a move this season.
The Oilers had an opportunity to claim goaltender Connor Ingram on waivers earlier this week and passed on him. There may be more candidates on waivers soon, but the Oilers may not want to risk losing backup goalie Calvin Pickard.
Top NHL insider says Oilers locker room wants Calvin Pickard to stay on roster
Speaking on the new edition of the 32 Thoughts Podcast, insider Elliotte Friedman said that the Oilers players are strongly loyal to Calvin Pickard, and changing the backup goalie position wouldn't go over well in the locker room.
FRIEDMAN: People were surprised that Edmonton didn't take Ingram. What did we learn when we were in Edmonton about Calvin Pickard?
BUKAUSKAS: He may be the most popular guy in that room.
FRIEDMAN: Hugely popular teammate. When he's played, he's gotten Ws for the Oilers. The way players, to a man, talk about Pickard - I would be curious if the Oilers would want to unseat him.
BUKAUSKAS: Oh yeah, I think the answer is now there.
BUKAUSKAS: He may be the most popular guy in that room.
FRIEDMAN: Hugely popular teammate. When he's played, he's gotten Ws for the Oilers. The way players, to a man, talk about Pickard - I would be curious if the Oilers would want to unseat him.
BUKAUSKAS: Oh yeah, I think the answer is now there.
The Edmonton Oilers desperately need to upgrade their goaltending position which ranks near the bottom of the NHL, but the team appears totally beholden to their two goalies.
Upgrading on Calvin Pickard with a better backup or tandem-calibre goalie is the easiest path, but it's a hard sell to cast off Pickard after he's done everything asked of him.
The 33 year old journeyman Pickard posted a .900 save percentage in 36 games played last year, and had a 7-1 record in the playoffs when called upon. Arguably, he's lived up to expectation far more than Skinner.
However, the Oilers can't run their team on a popularity contest in a must-win season. Fans don't like to hear the team is reluctant to make a move to disrupt the locker room, especially when it comes to their biggest weakness.
The Oilers seem to be committed to their current tandem entering the season, but if they don't hold water, they need an upgrade at the deadline.
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