3 Goalies Oilers Have To Consider Acquiring Now

1 month ago  /  NHL Trade Rumors  /  Read Time: 1 minute 59 seconds

The Edmonton Oilers need to upgrade goaltending before the trade deadline or they are going to have a very difficult time going back to the Stanley Cup Final this year. The tandem of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard has really been exposed in February, and it is better now than after the trade deadline has passed.Against top-10 teams by points percentage this season, Skinner, who is the Oilers' starter, has a record of 3-12 with a .876 SV% and -11.01 goals saved above expected. Considering top teams are who the Oilers will have to get through in the playoffs, this is not a good look for a team that appears like they are still fairly confident in this duo in net.There have also been rumors that Edmonton is poking around on certain goalies, but the three that they have to consider adding this season are Jordan Binnington, Karel Vejmelka, and John Gibson.Binnington recently had a stellar showing at the 4 Nations Face-Off as the starter for Team Canada, winning gold. He has regressed for five years in a row until last season where he had a strong season. Once again, he is having a down season and his SV% in 2024-25 is only 1 point higher than Skinner's, but on a much worse team.Binnington has shown multiple times what he can do when games matter more. Skinner did help the Oilers to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, but isn't his same solid self he was for the second half of last season. Binnington has two more years left at $6 million AAV, so there would have to be money sent back or some cap retention to make the trade work. Ideally, in every trade scenario for a goalie, Skinner remains with the Oilers.Vejmelka is the cheap and attractive option due to his strong season, but he is also a UFA after the season. I still think it is worth it to upgrade from Pickard and give a legitimate challenger to the starting role for Skinner. Vejmelka isn't as proven as Binnington, but he has proven himself this season.Gibson is an interesting one. It is believed that he will accept a trade to the Oilers, but Pierre LeBrun has recently reported that Edmonton doesn't view Gibson as an upgrade from Skinner. If this is the case, the Oilers would at least still have two goalies capable of starting to choose from and go with the hotter goalie. Skinner as the pure starter hasn't been working that well this season based on his numbers. Gibson has a .915 SV% on the Anaheim Ducks this season, so either the Oilers aren't seeing straight, or the reports by LeBrun are wrong on that front.One way or another, it is very evident the Oilers need a goalie if they intend on hoisting the Stanley Cup in the Connor McDavid/Leon Draisaitl era, and they need to address it now. Years are wasting away.Photo credit: © Jeff Curry-Imagn Images...

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