Edmonton Hockey Daily has no direct affiliation to the Edmonton Oilers, NHL or NHLPA
Top Oilers insider reveals timeline when team will add a new goaltender
The Edmonton Oilers are still in dire need of adding a goaltender this season, and may be looking to the waiver wire at the beginning of the year.
For now, insider reports suggest the Oilers are comfortable entering the season running back Skinner and Pickard in the crease. However, something may shake loose in training camp that sends Pickard back to the AHL.
Oilers insider Bob Stauffer suggest team may pick up goaltender on waivers near training camp
In a recent interview on OilersNow, insider Bob Stauffer suggested that the team could be looking for a goalie near the beginning of the season, and suggested that Pickard could be the odd man out.
«Goaltending? Well, we're obviously going to get a new goalie coach. Do they look at finding a way to get another guy in the mix?
I think that's still a possibility. I'm just not sure when that's going to occur. It might be an October 3rd, 4th thing or 4th, 5th, or whatever teams have to declare their official rosters.
There's three or four teams that have got goalies close to being ready that are going to have to make a decision if they keep their incumbents or if they decide to move one of these guys up and wave an established goaltender.
- Bob Stauffer
I think that's still a possibility. I'm just not sure when that's going to occur. It might be an October 3rd, 4th thing or 4th, 5th, or whatever teams have to declare their official rosters.
There's three or four teams that have got goalies close to being ready that are going to have to make a decision if they keep their incumbents or if they decide to move one of these guys up and wave an established goaltender.
- Bob Stauffer
Stauffer went on to note that the team still has belief in Stuart Skinner, and would like to see his results under a different goalie coach before giving up on him. If the Oilers were to add a goalie, Pickard would be to one heading down to the AHL.
As Stauffer mentioned, there's 4 teams that currently have a surplus of NHL goalies under contract that may lose one on waivers - or a goalie could request a trade for playing time. Either way, the Oilers could pounce when a team actually needs to move a goalie.
If no opportunity presents itself, the Oilers believe that Skinner can win them a Stanley Cup, and will run back the same weak goaltending again next year.
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 10 | 583 ANSWERS Top Oilers insider reveals timeline when team will add a new goaltender Do you think the Oilers need an upgrade in net next season? | ||
| Yes | 525 | 90.1 % |
| No | 58 | 9.9 % |
| List of polls | ||