Goaltending has been an ongoing concern for the Edmonton Oilers this season.
Entering this week, their goals against per game (2.89) ranked 14th overall, but their save percentage (.897) was 20th.
Consistency has been an issue for the Oilers' tandem of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard. Skinner's 2.87 GAA ranks 31st among netminders with at least 25 games played this season, while his .895 save percentage is tied for 35th. Pickard's stats are a little better, ranking tied for 17th in GAA (2.63) and tied for 24th in save percentage (.901).
David Staples of the Edmonton Journal recently cited Oilers Now host Bob Stauffer saying he knows “for a fact” the Oilers intend to address their goaltending in the off-season.
Stauffer claimed the Oilers intend to bring in a “1B goalie” to challenge Pickard for the backup role. He said he didn't want to see Skinner run out of town, only to watch him rejuvenate his career elsewhere as Devan Dubnyk did with the Minnesota Wild a decade before.
Pickings are slim for goaltenders in the free-agent market. This year's crop could include Frederik Andersen, Vitek Vanecek, Jake Allen, Alexandar Georgiev, Dan Vladar, David Rittich, Ilya Samsonov and Alex Lyon. They either have injury histories or have had their own consistency issues during their careers.
Can The Oilers Prove They Are More Than A Two-Man Team? This Is Their Chance
Over the next couple of games at least, the Edmonton Oilers have a real shot at proving they are a lot more than just Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
Anaheim Ducks goalie John Gibson was linked to the Oilers in this season's rumor mill. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported some frustration that he wasn't moved on the part of the players, Ducks management, and the teams interested in him.
Gibson has two years left on his contract with an average annual value of $6.4 million and a 10-team no-trade list. In February, Friedman reported the Oilers and Carolina Hurricanes were among the 31-year-old netminder's list of preferred destinations.
The rising salary cap for next season could make it easier for teams to take on the full amount of his average annual value. It could also make the Ducks receptive to retaining up to half of it to facilitate a trade.
Gibson reportedly wants to join a team where he'll be the clear-cut starter. That won't work in Edmonton unless the Oilers part ways with Skinner this summer.
Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.