The Edmonton Oilers made a move on Monday, claiming goaltender Alex Stalock off the waiver wire and from the Minnesota Wild. The Wild took a bit of a gamble trying to get Stalock through and with all the questions the Oilers dealt with at the start of the season, snagging a third-string goalie was deemed important for the organization.
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Stalock hasn’t played this year, but posted a 20-11-4 record and a .910 save percentage last year. He’s got 151 games played in the NHL.
According to @puckpedia, the netminder has a cap hit of $785k and is under contract for next year, too. This means the Oilers could see him challenge for starts next season, while also having another goaltender they can leave exposed for the NHL Expansion Draft.
Stalock has been described as a good puck handler. Michael Russo of The Athletic wrote: “He’s a battler. He’s an acrobat. And he’s one crazy puck mover.” Russo adds, “Not only is he quick to come out of his net on almost every dump-in, he has no qualms trying to outrace an oncoming forward to the blue line for a loose puck.”
What Will Oilers Do With His Contract This Season?
Some might suggest that having three goalies on the active roster is not a great plan for Edmonton as it shortens the bench at forward and on the blue line. They’ll also suggest if the Oilers put Stalock on waivers, another team will claim him, which has been the traditional song and dance in the NHL this season.
But, the Oilers could instead choose to put Mikko Koskinen on waivers for the taxi squad. His contract is not likely to be claimed by another team and even if it was, the team would be free of a sizeable contract which would give them flexibility heading into the NHL Trade Deadline and the offseason.
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