Oilers Expected To Deal With Goaltending In Offseason

4 weeks ago  /  NHL Trade Rumors  /  Read Time: 1 minute 23 seconds

The Edmonton Oilers' goaltending has not been up to par this season. There have been good stretches, but overall, the numbers are lower than they should be for how good the defensive game of the team has been and the support they've gotten.Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard combine for a very cheap cap hit of $3.6 million AAV for this season and next, but the Oilers still need more from them than a combined .897 SV%. Neither goalie has put together a respectable SV% as Skinner, having played 48 games, has a .895 SV%, and Pickard, having played 27 games, has a .901 SV%.In terms of goals saved above expected, Skinner sits at -2.3 and Pickard at -6.3. Both the GAA average of the goalies are solid, but that's due to the Oilers suppressing shots in front of them. There have been too many weak goals and not great lateral movement, allowing for goals that would be saved by more goalies than not at the NHL level.With all that being said, general manager Stan Bowman didn't address goaltending at the trade deadline and decided to run with Skinner and Pickard for a second consecutive season heading into the playoffs.According to Bob Stauffer on Oilers Now with his guest Frank Seravalli, Stauffer spoke his thoughts on what is going to go down in the summer, noting that the Oilers are going to bring in another goalie to compete with Pickard for the backup role in Edmonton with his remarks, "I know for a fact they're gonna do that."Skinner's job appears to be safe for now, but as he was rushed into the number one spot in Edmonton much earlier than expected, there have been growing pains. Many goalies don't really hit their stride until later and Skinner is still 26 years old and on a great deal for a starter.Stauffer thinks the Oilers don't want to replace him or run him out of town, but are going to look at organizational depth in a third goalie who has NHL experience. Maybe someone like Alex Lyon could be a great target in free agency since the Detroit Red Wings now have two veteran goalies signed through next season and Sebastian Cossa on the cusp.We'll see what the Oilers end up doing, but Bowman has not been idle since becoming the general manager. He knows how to upgrade a championship caliber team accordingly.Photo credit: © James Guillory-Imagn Images...

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