NHL analyst reveals exactly how much Oilers goalies have cost team in standings
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The Edmonton Oilers goaltending is on the hot seat once again this season, and now NHL analysts can definitively prove how much it's holding the team back.
Both goaltenders have performed below average this season, with Calvin Pickard now owning the worst save percentage in the NHL. As it stands, goaltending will hold this team back from their full potential.
Top NHL statistician reveals how much Oilers goaltending is costing them in standings
NHL analyst Dom Luszczyszyn with the Athletic ran an experiment and replaced each team's goaltending with league average numbers to observe changes. In the case of the Oilers, their playoff chances improved by 6%, as well as their Cup odds.
Stuart Skinner has shown flashes of good play, but that's all they are: flashes. He's not good enough as the guy getting the most starts. The bigger problem is that this team somehow doesn't have any semblance of a safety net behind him.
The Oilers are still a solid playoff bet as is, but poor goaltending is keeping them out of the contender's circle and dropping their playoff chances to 75 percent. It also shows in the way the team is playing this season: low-event hockey meant to stifle out mistakes.
- Dom Luszczyszyn
The Oilers are still a solid playoff bet as is, but poor goaltending is keeping them out of the contender's circle and dropping their playoff chances to 75 percent. It also shows in the way the team is playing this season: low-event hockey meant to stifle out mistakes.
- Dom Luszczyszyn
Luszczyszyn also noted something that many other Oilers fans and analysts have called out - Edmonton has seemingly changed their play-style to shelter their goaltending.
Instead of playing as the high flying offensive team the Oilers can be, they've been playing far more conservative hockey in an effort to limit scoring chances against. Unfortunately, they're now a weak offensive team, their defence is showing signs of wear, and the goaltending is still bad.
The writing is on the wall everywhere: the Oilers cannot contend in the playoffs with their current goalie tandem. The entire NHL knows it, but Stan Bowman still needs to find a way to add to the crease - or it will likely be another year of falling just short.
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