Pickard In, Skinner Out : What It Means for the Oilers’ Goalie Situation

It may mean nothing, but it may also be a sign that the rope in Edmonton for goaltender Stuart Skinner is extremely short. The Edmonton Oilers are making a notable change in goal as they prepare for their second game of the season against the Vancouver Canucks.

As the Oilers took the ice for their morning skate on Saturday, it was clear that a goaltending change was taking place, and the backup, Calvin Pickard, was becoming the starter.

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After a narrow shootout loss to the Calgary Flames on Friday, Stuart Skinner came under fire for a costly misplay on Calgary’s third goal. He noted after the game that he had to make a quicker decision on a play that he had poorly handled. Skinner said it was one of those sequences that are rare, but make a goalie look really bad. It appears the incident left a sour taste for head coach Kris Knoblauch, as Pickard will start in the net.

While it’s still early in the season and the Oilers got a point in the Calgary loss, time is of the essence in Edmonton. The goaltending situation remains one of the team’s biggest unanswered questions—every game matters.

Pickard is no stranger to stepping up in high-pressure situations. Last season, he served as Edmonton’s backup, posting a 22-10-1 record with a 2.71 GAA and .900 save percentage across 36 games. In the playoffs, he replaced a struggling Skinner, leading the Oilers to a dramatic four-game comeback against the Los Angeles Kings and winning six consecutive games before another switch put Skinner back in.

The Oilers were rumored to be looking at other options this summer, ultimately adding Connor Ingram from the Utah Mammoth in a trade a couple of weeks ago. However, they have stuck with the tandem and Ryan Rishaug of TSN recently noted during an interview on Oilers Now: “They’ve committed to seeing what they have here for a chunk of time here with Stuart Skinner.”

Are the Oilers Already Losing Confidence in Skinner?

With Pickard starting, questions naturally arise about the team’s confidence in Skinner. Is this an early-season shakeup meant to give the backup a chance, or does it hint at a longer-term reevaluation of Edmonton’s goalie situation? Skinner remains the presumed starter, but his performance is under close scrutiny. That the Oilers aren’t giving him another look to see if he can rebound with a strong performance might be telling.

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