Edmonton Oilers linked to hiring goalie coach from Florida Panthers

The contracts of all Oilers assistant coaches' will expire at the end of this month, and there's expected to be some changes to the staff for next year. After 10 years with the team, it's time for a new voice coaching the Oilers' weakest position.

Oilers insider Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal is raising formed Bakersfield Condors goalie coach Sylvain Rodrigue as a potential candidate to replace Schwartz.

Sylvain Rodrigue is the father of Oilers prospect Olivier Rodrigue, who's currently on the Bakersfield Condors. Sylvain left the Oilers last offseason to join the Florida Panthers AHL team, with a hope to be promoted to the NHL - but now that opportunity could come back in Edmonton.

As Matheson mentioned, Rodrigue has a high degree of familiarity with Stuart Skinner from his time in the AHL, and obviously has a close relationship with his son as the Oilers third goalie.

Fans will obviously be thrilled to see a change out from Dustin Schwartz after 10 years in the Oilers organization. In his time with the team, goaltending has always been a challenge on the roster - goalies have even seen their stats slowly slip under his tenure.

Changing out the goalie coach is needed, but there also needs to be a real change in the net. The Oilers simply can't rely on this tandem again next season, reaching the Stanley Cup Final and being unsure of which goalie to play. However they achieve it, there needs stability in the crease next year.