Calvin Pickard Has Earned a Heavier Workload

Caleb Kerney

Mar 12, 2024, 13:02

Caleb Kerney

Mar 12, 2024, 13:02

In order for the Edmonton Oilers to be successful in the final stretch of the season Calvin Pickard will need to start more games.

EDMONTON -- Things are going to get a little bonkers for the Edmonton Oilers.

Starting tomorrow they have 19 games in 37 days. That's a game every 1.95 days - so let's call that every two days.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AWeNe8fSfE[/embed]

We've known for a while that the "crazy" part of the schedule was coming - primarily due to the fact that the Oilers have played much less games than the rest of the NHL.

They have already had a few recent back-to-back's to help them get caught up. At this point in time they have played 63 games. With 62 games played the Ottawa Senators are the only team that has played less. Four other teams have played 63 games - the Washington Capitals, Seattle Kraken, Pittsburgh Penguins and the San Jose Sharks.

This is the part of the season that is most critical for the Oilers. They have an opportunity to climb to the top of the Pacific Division standings.

They are second in the Pacific right now, with 81 points. The Vancouver Canucks have played three more games and have 91 points.

With the compact schedule and stellar play from Calvin Pickard all season, it's time for the Oilers to lean on him in the final stretch.

Part of that will come by way of back-to-back's. The Oilers have four back-to-back situations left - three of those in the first 18 days of April.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85y09uYGRP8[/embed]

Calvin Pickard is Ready for More Games

Stuart Skinner has had a rocky season. Things obviously didn't go great for him to open the year - but since the coaching change occurred, he's been solid.

The Oilers need him to be on his game in the playoffs, and allowing Pickard to shoulder more of the workload down the stretch will be crucial to playoff (and regular season) success.

Pickard has only played one game on 1-day of rest and 2-days of rest - he has a .929 save percentage (SV%) and a 1.00 SV% respectively. For Pickard, he's played the bulk of his games on 4+ days of rest with 11. He has a .908 SV% in those 11 games.

He'll get at least four games in the final stretch (from back-to-back's). Any weeks where the Oilers play four games, I would bet money on Pickard picking up two of a possible four starts.

With 19 games left of the season, I suspect that Pickard will get eight or nine starts. He should play that much, he's earned it.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9Gy2fTFX0g[/embed]

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