EDMONTON – Goalies are vital to the success of an NHL team.

The Edmonton Oilers know this fact well. In the 2024-25 season, the duo of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard performed well enough to get them a third-place Pacific Division finish in addition to another trip to the Stanley Cup Final.

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With the arrival of Peter Aubry, can this tandem do more or do the Oilers need to add another goalie to the mix to challenge Skinner and Pickard?

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If they opt for the latter, they need to make sure the goalie they add has the capacity to challenge both goaltenders for starts. Finding a goalie who isn’t on the last legs of their professional career is also an important consideration.

On the flip side, there are certainly goaltenders available who won’t cut it. Goalies who are not an upgrade on either Skinner or Pickard. Here is a list of just three such goalies.

Tristan Jarry

Tristan Jarry is a hot topic of conversation. The Pittsburgh Penguins have just traded for Arturs Silovs, formerly of the Vancouver Canucks. This has led to speculation that the Penguins may look to move one of their other goaltenders.

While Jarry has ties to the city (as a former Edmonton Oil Kings goalie) his recent track record should have Oilers management look the other way.

According to Moneypuck, Jarry had a Goals Saved Above Expected of -4.7 (GSAx). This means that he allowed more goals to go past him than an average goaltender would have in similar circumstances. (Skinner had a -1.5 GSAx).

Alexandar Georgiev

Alexandar Georgiev has yet to sign a new contract since becoming a free agent this offseason. While his career started with a boom for the New York Rangers, this most recent season ended on a whimper.

In the third year of his three-year pact with the Colorado Avalanche, the management decided to trade him to the San Jose Sharks to give that position an upgrade. 

Aside from Georgiev’s great 2022-23 season with the Avalanche, where he started 62 games, he’s been most successful as a back-up goaltender playing around 30 games. The Oilers currently have a serviceable back-up with Pickard. What they need is another goalie who can push and challenge Skinner, not be a lateral move (at best).

Elvis Merzlikins

In recent years, Elvis Merzlikins hasn’t been happy with his situation with the Columbus Blue Jackets. 

He exploded onto the scene in his rookie year as well as the following season. Since then, it’s been a slippery slope downhill.

Merzlikins has suffered a similar fate to Georgiev – the increased workload has led to diminishing returns. Merzlikins would be better served as a back-up goalie, playing 30-35 games a season. And, as previously stated, the Oilers already have a goalie like that in their bullpen.

Like it or not Oil Country, the Oilers will need to look elsewhere to find a goalie who will push their current tandem.

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