Two games are usually not enough to draw any meaningful conclusions. But the Edmonton Oilers’ goaltending woes run much deeper than we’ve seen early this season.
Stuart Skinner and Jack Campbell were embarrassed in the season-opener, getting shelled for eight goals on 32 shots. Things didn’t go any better in Saturday’s contest, with the Vancouver Canucks torching Skinner for four more goals on 16 shots.
With goaltending being such a concern, can bettors take the Oilers seriously in the Stanley Cup futures market?
Familiar Refrain
Goaltending has been a limiting factor for the Oilers for many years.
In the Connor McDavid era, Edmonton has had 11 different netminders suit up. Sadly, besides Mike Smith, Skinner has been the most reliable goalie over that stretch, an indictment of the Oilers’ inefficiencies between the pipes.
Skinner has a career 91.0% save percentage and 2.82 goals against but was an unknown commodity ahead of last year. That’s why Ken Holland went out and signed Jack Campbell to a five-year $25 million contract. Those concerns appear valid, as Skinner has struggled to perform consistently. Further, Campbell wasn’t the solution to the problem, as evidenced by his 88.6% save percentage with the Oil.
Average Starter
Edmonton doesn’t need a stalwart to help them compete for the Stanley Cup; they just need their goalies not to be a liability.
Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl continue to set the tempo upfront, operating one of the most proficient offenses in the NHL. However, Head Coach Jay Woodcroft has also developed a more defensively responsible iteration of the Oilers.
Last season, Edmonton ranked in the top ten in scoring and high-danger chances allowed. Moreover, they’re off to a similar start this season, limiting the Canucks to an average of 14.5 scoring and 6.0 high-danger opportunities through the first two games.
Defensive structure limits the amount of shots Oilers’ goaltenders face. In that regard, Edmonton just needs a consistently average netminder.
Available Targets
Recently, the Oilers have been linked to Linus Ullmark of the Boston Bruins. Ullmark is coming off a Vezina Trophy-winning campaign and has blossomed since landing in Beantown. The Swedish goalie has a career 91.9% save percentage, improving to 92.9% over the past three seasons. More importantly, Ullmark has a palatable $5 million contract, making him the most attractive option.
Additionally, it’s rumored that the Oilers’ brass has had conversations regarding the availability of John Gibson and Connor Hellebuyck. Although it seems more unlikely the Winnipeg Jets move on from Hellebuyck after inking him to a contract extension, either option would be an upgrade over their current backstoppers.
Goaltending Coach Issues
Acquiring an NHL-ready goaltender has been part of the Oilers MO for years. First, the team brought in Cam Talbot, who quickly fell out of favor despite looking good at times. Likewise, Mike Smith was in the twilight of his career before the Oilers extracted every ounce of value from him before he retired. Campbell is the most recent savior, and we all know how that’s going.
When hearing hooves, it might be time to think of horses instead of zebras. The common thread among these failed netminders is the organization they’re playing with. That might indicate more significant concerns surrounding the Oilers’ goaltending coaches and practices. Nobody has come to town and sustained elite metrics. Conversely, goaltenders seem to thrive when they leave town.
Addressing the coaching issues internally may be the surest way of establishing a sustainable pattern for long-term success.
Stanley Cup Write-Offs
Until Edmonton takes its goaltending issues seriously, dismissing their chance of claiming the Stanley Cup is easy. Intensity is ratcheted up in the postseason, limiting the impact that McDavid and Draisaitl can make. Consequently, the Oilers will need their netminders to steal a game or two rather than costing them.
The Oilers goalies may get hot at the right time and take this team on a deep playoff run. But with Edmonton currently priced at +1000 in the Stanley Cup futures market, it’s not worth the gamble.
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