Oilers’ Social Account Calls for GM to Make Good on Goalie Promise

Through the first month of the season, the Edmonton Oilers’ goaltending situation has become a growing concern — and fans are losing patience. One Oilers’ social media account has called on the team’s general manager to make good on a goalie promise made at the start of the season.

---

“Bowman said if the goaltending wasn’t good enough, it would be addressed. This isn’t good enough. Address it,” wrote @OilersDailyy on X (formerly Twitter). The call for Bowman to back up his words comes after another last-minute loss in overtime, where Skinner let in three unanswered goals in the third period and the extra time. The loss wasn’t completely on Skinner — as several Oilers were to blame for the New York Rangers coming back, but Edmonton could have used a save.

The Oilers talked about adding another goalie on July 1 — and never did. The team then went and traded for Connor Ingram, who is down in the AHL with the Bakersfield Condors.

Skinner and Pickard Have Struggled for the Oilers

Starter Stuart Skinner finished October with a .896 save percentage and 2.59 goals-against average, while backup Calvin Pickard struggled even more, posting an .846 SV% and 3.50 GAA. Those numbers simply aren’t good enough for a team with Stanley Cup aspirations, especially after general manager Stan Bowman and CEO Jeff Jackson acknowledged in the summer that improving the goaltending was something the team would like to do if the opportunity presented itself.

There are several reasons the Oilers feel disjointed and frustrated with a 5-4-3 record on the season. It’s unfair to blame the goaltenders alone. Evan Bouchard sits at minus-9 and is playing some of the worst hockey of his NHL career, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has been scoring for the Oilers but is a minus-8, and Mattias Ekholm is minus-6. Connor McDavid only has three goals on the season and looks like he’s trying to do too much, while Leon Draisaitl has been good at times and frustrating to watch at others.

Even so, the bottom line remains the same: Edmonton’s goaltending numbers rank near the bottom of the league. Whether it’s a trade for a name that is a clear upgrade for a starter, fans are calling for management to act. The problem is that the Oilers don’t have the assets or the money to go make a trade for a goaltending stud.

Next: McDavid’s Savings Paying Off for Red-Hot Oilers Defenseman