Trade Market Thin, But These Goalie Options Could Tempt the Oilers

With the Connor McDavid comments now 24 hours old, talk about the goaltending in Edmonton is front and center again. If McDavid is waiting for the team to acquire someone that makes him feel more comfortable about the Edmonton Oilers and the Stanley Cup chances, management better get looking.

To find what they need, they may have to get creative before the trade deadline. Despite expectations of a more active market, there are surprisingly few viable options available for a team with Stanley Cup aspirations.

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While Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard held the fort last season, questions remain about whether the tandem can carry Edmonton through a deep playoff run. James Mirtle of The Athetlic writes, ideally, the Oilers would find a proven No. 1 goalie from a team that falters early and starts shedding assets. This would be similar to Boston’s situation last year. That scenario hasn’t materialized.

What Teams Might Fit Into That Category?

Detroit comes to mind first. They recently acquired John Gibson in a trade from the Anaheim Ducks, but they may or may not be a playoff team. If things go sideways early, they could eventually move one of their veterans. That means either flipping Gibson or trading Cam Talbot back to Edmonton.

The other option, if the Oilers (or McDavid) think he’s a legitimate starter, is to try and acquire top prospect Sebastian Cossa. Mirtle thinks the Red Wings are more likely to stay in the playoff hunt. Should they miss, it won’t be known early in the season, making a deal unlikely.

Other clubs, such as the New York Islanders or Utah Mammoth, could have expendable goalies if health cooperates, but none are clear upgrades. Mirtle specifically mentions Semyon Varlamov and Connor Ingram. He’s not sure either are an upgrade.

High-end names like Thatcher Demko in Vancouver, Pittsburgh’s Tristan Jarry or Columbus’ Elvis Merzlikins could technically be had, but their inconsistency makes them risky bets.

Mirtle writes, “We’re really reaching to even contemplate some of these options for a team with designs on winning a championship, so it feels like it’ll take something a bit unexpected for the Oilers to find what they’re looking for in the crease…”

Unless an unexpected team collapses early or Edmonton parts with top-tier assets to pry loose a premium goalie, the Oilers may have no choice but to ride Skinner and Pickard again when the playoffs arrive — a scenario that could prove costly both in terms of a championship, and in terms of McDavid’s future.

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