The Oilers are giving this former Avalanche goalie a big opportunity.
Former Colorado Avalanche goaltender Calvin Pickard is in for a big night. According to NHL insider Frank Seravalli, the Edmonton Oilers are starting Pickard in their Game 4 matchup against the Vancouver Canucks. This will be the 32-year-old's first career NHL playoff start.
Hearing that the Oilers are turning to Pickard for Game 4 is not too surprising. Stuart Skinner has struggled this postseason, posting a .877 SV% and a 3.22 GAA in eight appearances thus far. His play has also gotten worse, as he has a .793 SV% in three starts against the Canucks this series. In Game 3, he allowed three goals on 15 shots.
Pickard being expected to get a playoff start is just the latest accomplishment for the Avalanche's 2010 second-round pick. After not appearing in a single NHL game in 2022-23 and playing in just 12 NHL contests from 2019-20 to 2021-22, he cemented himself as the Oilers' backup this campaign.
Calvin PickardPickard had a solid regular season with the Oilers, as he had a 12-7-1 record, a 2.45 GAA, and a .909 SV% in 23 games. He will now look to translate his regular-season success over to the postseason for Edmonton.
Pickard is entering this matchup with a lot of pressure on him. A loss will give the Canucks a 3-1 series lead and give them a real stranglehold on the series. It will be intriguing to see if Pickard can help the Oilers avoid this possibility and get them a much-needed win.
Pickard appeared in 86 games for the Avalanche from 2014-15 to 2016-17, sporting a 28-44-6 record, a .914 SV%, and a 2.77 GAA. His tenure with the club ended when the Vegas Golden Knights picked him at the expansion draft.