Many questions await in the playoffs, but none are more significant than the question of the Edmonton Oilers’ goaltending.. Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard have not been good this season. Can the Oilers get sufficient goaltending to stack their duo against the rest of the West? Edmonton is still looking for the next long-term starter, but they need to push deep into the playoffs with the talent they have. Will their goaltenders be what holds them back from winning it all?
Oilers Goaltending Struggles
The Starter
Stuart Skinner has been the starter for the Oilers this season, and the issues have been abundant. Skinner’s 26-18-4 record has been overshadowed by his .896 save percentage and his 2.81 goals-against average. Having a sub-.900 goaltender in the postseason is traditionally a death sentence for teams looking to make deep runs. However, Skinner is not the typical goaltender having difficulties.
According to Natural Stat Trick, Skinner’s goals saved above average (GSAA) is -2.27. A GSAA that low is highly concerning because it illustrates just how much the Oilers’ starting goaltender has struggled. According to MoneyPuck, Skinner has a Goals Saved Above Expected (GSAx) of -1.5. He’s underperforming and not making the saves he should make. If that continues into the postseason, any hope of a deep run can be exterminated. Edmonton needs Skinner to improve. Can he get back to the strong performances of last season‘s playoffs?
The Backup
Calvin Pickard‘s season in Alberta hasn’t been much better. Pickard has a .903 save percentage and a 2.61 goals-against average on the year in the 35 games he played. While those look better than Skinner’s stats on paper, Pickard’s got his issues when you look at the underlying numbers. He’s also been a glaring hole for the Oilers goaltending, and Edmonton needs someone to take the reigns for a deep run.
Pickard has a 3.78 GSAA, which is good. But his GSAx is -9.1, which means he’s struggling to stop a beachball. There will be issues if he cannot be dependable for the Oilers. Goaltending has been the Achilles Heel of this roster for many years. Trying to find a solution in the summer is one thing, but a future fix does not help the team’s playoff chances now. They need Pickard to be better since they didn’t address the goaltending issues at the trade deadline.
Cumulative issues
Only Minnesota and Montreal made the playoffs with worse goals against as a team than the Oilers. Edmonton’s team save percentage is also 3rd bottom among the playoff teams, with only Carolina and Montreal posting worse figures than the Oilers. That’s a significant concern for the Oilers heading into this series with one of the best-scoring teams in the NHL.
All roads with the Oilers goaltending issues seem to highlight concerns. If the Oilers stars cannot outscore the teams’ issues at the other end, it could be a shortened postseason in Alberta. Edmonton cannot afford more sloppy goaltending, so someone needs to find a way to carry the load. It’s a cause for concern if the Edmonton Oilers’ goaltending doesn’t improve.
Main Photo: James Carey Lauder- Imagn Images
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