Edmonton Oilers
Kris Knoblauch Sets the Record Straight on Oilers’ Calvin Pickard
Kris Knoblauch addresses the criticism surrounding Calvin Pickard and explains why the Oilers’ goalie deserves more context this season.
Calvin Pickard’s numbers don’t tell the full story this season — and Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch finally said out loud what many fans have been seeing for weeks.
Until this season, Pickard has quietly given Edmonton steady goaltending when called upon. In fact, he was pegged as one of the better backups in the NHL. This season, he’s often been left out to dry. Sitting again on Saturday as the Oilers take on the Calgary Flames in a rematch from this past week, Knoblauch explained why he’s going with Connor Ingram, and it has little to do with Pickard.
Given that Ingram has played well in his past starts since joining the Oilers, Knoblauch wants to reward him for “getting the wins.” That leaves Pickard on the bench as the backup, even though Knoblauch admitted Pickard has “played really well” of late and in his previous seasons with the team.
In 2025-26, Pickard’s stat line doesn’t jump off the page, but the Oilers have struggled defensively in his starts, giving up high-quality chances and failing to protect him the way they have in the past. That has created a situation in which Pickard is often left taking the heat for problems that start well in front of the crease.
Knoblauch acknowledged that reality directly, noting that while Pickard’s numbers don’t reflect strong play, the team has played “some really bad hockey” in front of him at times this season. That’s a stark contrast from previous years, when Edmonton often played some of its best hockey with Pickard in net.
This year has been different — more breakdowns, more odd-man rushes, and more difficult looks against — and it’s shown in the results.
Going With Ingram Isn’t About Pickard
So when the Oilers chose to go another direction in net, it wasn’t a vote of no confidence. Knoblauch made it clear the decision was difficult and rooted in wanting to evaluate Connor in back-to-back situations, not because Pickard has underperformed.
Fans should understand that distinction as they call for Pickard to get traded or demoted.
Pickard hasn’t lost opportunities because he can’t do the job. He’s lost them because the Oilers haven’t consistently done theirs. And now, the head coach has confirmed what fans probably should have understood when Pickard’s numbers went from solid to abysmal. This isn’t a goalie who just suddenly couldn’t play. This is a goaltender who got shafted early in the season because his teammates weren’t very good.
Next: Oilers Pitched to Go All-In on Trade for Kraken Star Forward
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