Oilers and Senators Could Be a Good Trade Fit

The Edmonton Oilers picked up a 5-0 win over the St. Louis Blues on Jan. 18. Connor Ingram was a massive reason behind it, as the 28-year-old put together a 27-save shutout for the Oilers. He is continuing to make a big case to stick around on Edmonton’s roster.

The more Ingram plays well, the more questions about fellow goaltender Calvin Pickard‘s future in Edmonton continue to come up. The 33-year-old netminder has been the subject of some trade speculation with the deadline getting closer. If the Oilers officially make him available for trade, the Ottawa Senators stand out as a possible trade fit for the veteran goalie.

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Oilers’ Pickard Would Provide Senators With Another Much-Needed Goalie Option

The Senators are currently without their starting goalie Linus Ullmark, as he is on a leave of absence. With this, the Senators have been rolling with Leevi Meriläinen, and he has struggled with a starter’s workload. He has had under a .900 save percentage in 10 out of his last 12 appearances. This included him allowing six goals on 19 shots against the Montreal Canadiens in his last start on Jan. 17, which led to him being publicly called out by teammate Jake Sanderson.

With Meriläinen struggling, the Senators recently signed veteran goaltender James Reimer, but it is difficult to predict if the 37-year-old can be a real answer on his own for Ottawa’s goaltending woes.

As a result of this, the Senators should strongly consider taking a chance on a goalie like Pickard for more insurance. This is especially true given that he could be Ottawa’s backup once Ullmark officially returns to the Senators.

Pickard has had mixed results this season with the Oilers, posting a 5-6-2 record, a .871 save percentage, and a 3.68 goals-against average in 16 games. Yet, when noting that he had a .909 save percentage in 2023-24 and a .900 save percentage in 2024-25 with the Oilers, there is reason to believe that he could bounce back from a change of scenery. Perhaps being traded to a club like the Senators could help him do just that.

Next: Canucks: 3 Potential Trade Destinations for Jake DeBrusk