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Calvin Pickard

Oilers’ Coach Kris Knoblauch Mum On Game 6 Starting Goalie

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Facing elimination, Edmonton Oilers’ coach Kris Knoblauch still isn’t sure who his starting goalie will be for Game 6. Or, at least, he isn’t making his intentions known.

Knoblauch didn’t commit to either Stuart Skinner or Calvin Pickard, stating the team will go with whichever goalie gives them the best chance to win. When asked how he’ll make the decision, Knoblauch said, “That’s a conversation with the staff. Obviously, our goaltending coach Dustin Schwartz, but with all the assistants and the general manager to weigh how everyone feels and what’s best moving forward.”

Knoblauch acknowledged that the decision is “not an easy one,” pointing out that both goalies have proven they can win games. He added that whichever goalie is chosen, the team believes they’ll be the one to help secure a win on the road in Game 6.

Skinner started the first four games of the Finals but was pulled in two of them, prompting Knoblauch to start Pickard in Game 5. The decision was made in hopes that Pickard could replicate his heroics from Game 4, where he stopped 22 of 23 shots in the overtime win. However, he struggled in Game 5, allowing four goals on 18 shots for a .778 save percentage. Despite the Oilers making it to Game 6 of the Finals, both goalies have put up less-than-stellar statistics throughout the playoffs, with Skinner posting an .891 save percentage and Pickard owning an .886 mark.

While Knoblauch was non-committal on who he’ll start, the team may have tipped their hand during practice today. As TSN’s Ryan Rishaug points out, Skinner was in what was the starter’s net the last time they practiced in Florida. Rishaug added that forward Kasperi Kapanen and defenseman John Klingberg took part in line drills, signaling their potential return. Kapanen was replaced in the lineup by Viktor Arvidsson in Game 5.

 

Connor Brown Out For Game 4, Calvin Pickard Questionable

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The Edmonton Oilers are confirmed to be without one forward as they look to take a commanding lead in the Western Conference Final in Game 4. According to TSN’s Ryan Rishaug, head coach Kris Knoblauch shared that Connor Brown won’t be in the lineup tomorrow, but netminder Calvin Pickard may return in a backup role.

Brown left the Oilers’ Game 3 victory on Saturday after being hit by Dallas Stars defenseman Alexander Petrovic in the second period. Edmonton listed Brown as having an upper-body injury, but it was clear from the hit that the injury could be isolated to the head. The 10-year veteran had been enjoying the best playoff run of his career, scoring five goals and eight points through the Oilers’ first 14 games of the postseason.

Luckily, Edmonton has a few effective options to replace Brown in the lineup. One of Viktor Arvidsson or Jeff Skinner could get the call, with the former being the likeliest option. Arvidsson has already appeared in nine games for the Oilers this postseason, scoring one goal and four points while averaging 11:06 of ice time per night.

Meanwhile, Pickard could get his first opportunity since Game 2 of Edmonton’s Round Two matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights. Although he wasn’t great, Pickard was exactly what the Oilers needed when starting netminder Stuart Skinner began to falter, managing a 6-0-0 record in seven games with a .888 SV%.

Still, it’s unlikely the Oilers will need Pickard to hurry back from injury if Skinner’s recent play continues. He’s been exceptional since reprising his role as the team’s starter in Game 3 against the Golden Knights, posting a 4-2-0 record in six games with a .936 SV%, including three shutouts.

Poll: Who Will Win The Western Conference Finals?

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The Western Conference finals are set, as the defending conference champion Edmonton Oilers will take on the Dallas Stars, led by the phenomenal play of Mikko Rantanen. It’s a rematch from last season’s conference final, where the Oilers came out on top in six games.

The Oilers have been on a heater since starting round one with a 2-0 series deficit against the Los Angeles Kings. Since then, the Oilers have lost just one game, winning four in a row against the Kings before taking down the Golden Knights in five games. Unsurprisingly, the team is being led by superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, who have combined for 33 points in 11 games. The Oilers lead all teams with 43 playoff goals, averaging nearly 4 goals per game.

The Oilers have also benefited from standout play by defenseman Evan Bouchard, who leads the team with 26:24 of ice time per game in the playoffs, while contributing 12 points and a team-high 13 takeaways. This continues Bouchard’s tremendous playoff run from last season, when he recorded 32 points and a plus-14 rating, helping the Oilers reach Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final.

An intriguing storyline for the Oilers heading into the Western Conference Final is the performance of their goaltenders. Despite the team cruising through two rounds, Calvin Pickard and Stuart Skinner have combined for just an .886 save percentage, which doesn’t inspire much confidence during a playoff run. At some point, it stands to reason that the Oilers may struggle to sustain their momentum with that level of goaltending. That said, Pickard has been perfect since stepping in as the starter, posting a 6-0 record and providing timely saves when needed.

The Stars are being carried by Rantanen, whose league-leading 19 playoff points have been nothing short of spectacular. However, offensive support from the rest of the roster has been inconsistent. Wyatt Johnston, who tallied 71 points during the regular season, has managed just eight in the playoffs and carries a troubling minus-13 rating. Veterans Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn have struggled to make an impact, while 20-goal scorers Evgenii Dadonov and Mikael Granlund have failed to replicate their regular-season production. Despite Rantanen’s heroics, Dallas enters the Western Conference Final with a minus-four goal differential.

That also includes the exceptional goaltending of Jake Oettinger, who has posted a .919 save percentage through 13 playoff games. The 26-year-old has been a consistently reliable performer in the postseason, carrying a .913 save percentage over 60 career appearances. His steady presence in the net will be critical as Dallas prepares to face Edmonton’s high-powered offense.

So, what will win out: the Oilers’ explosive offense, or the Stars’ stout goaltending and the heroics of Rantanen? It’s a clash of strengths that could define the rematch. Vote in our poll, then head to the comment section below to share your thinking!

Evening Notes: Tocchet, Ekholm, Pickard, Smith

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A new voice on the bench may not be the only reason the Philadelphia Flyers aggressively pursued Rick Tocchet as their next head coach. According to General Manager Daniel Brière (via Jordan Hall of NBC Sports Philadelphia), Tocchet’s presence in Philadelphia makes the team more attractive to free agent targets, and agents have already started calling.

Brière’s statement is some gamesmanship on his part. Teams can’t begin talking about contracts until a few days before the free agency period starts on July 1st, with that being the first day contracts can be officially registered. Brière never said the Flyers were talking terms with any players in particular, and it’s unlikely a General Manager would openly admit to tampering.

Still, there may be a hint of truth in Brière’s claim. At the end of the regular season, he expressed his desire to add to Philadelphia’s roster this summer, rather than continuing to reduce it. They’ll have the financial flexibility to do so, as the Flyers are expected to enter the free agency period with approximately $25MM, with only a few key pending restricted free agents to re-sign.

Other evening notes:

  • TSN’s Ryan Rishaug shared a note from head coach Kris Knoblauch that the Edmonton Oilers aren’t expecting defenseman Mattias Ekholm or netminder Calvin Pickard back at the start of the Western Conference Final. Still, Knoblauch left open the possibility that both could return in the playoffs’ penultimate series, which would give the Oilers a major boost to their Stanley Cup aspirations, especially Ekholm.
  • If veteran winger Reilly Smith has his way, he’d remain with the Vegas Golden Knights beyond this season (Tweet Link). Even with a few players coming off the books in a few weeks, it’ll be incredibly challenging to find a spot for Smith next year. The Golden Knights already have $85.885MM committed to next year’s roster, and they’d need Smith to take a hefty pay cut to make the money work.

Calvin Pickard Day-To-Day With Undisclosed Injury

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Sunday: Pickard has been ruled out for Monday, relays Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic (Twitter link).  Skinner will get the nod between the pipes for the second straight game.

Saturday: The Oilers will be making a lineup change heading into tonight’s third game versus Vegas.  However, it’s not one they’d prefer to make as goaltender Calvin Pickard did not take part in the morning skate today.  Following the skate, head coach Kris Knoblauch told reporters including Jesse Granger of The Athletic (Twitter link) that Pickard is listed as day-to-day and that Stuart Skinner will get the nod tonight.  Olivier Rodrigue will serve as the backup.

Skinner returns between the pipes after two very rocky starts to start the playoffs against Los Angeles.  In those outings, he allowed 11 goals on just 57 shots in 108 minutes of playing time for a .810 SV% to go along with a 6.10 GAA.  Edmonton lost both of those games, leading them to turn to Pickard for the third game of that series.

Since then, Pickard has played well, winning all six of his starts despite a below-average save percentage of his own, checking in at .888 but he hasn’t allowed more than four goals in any of his outings, allowing Edmonton’s high-octane offense to help lead them on this winning streak.  However, Tomas Hertl fell into him late in Thursday’s second game and it’s possible that’s where this injury came about.

Skinner is no stranger to playing in high-pressure games as he was Edmonton’s starter for the bulk of their run to the Stanley Cup Final last year but got off to a slow start in that run as well.  Overall, he had a 2.45 GAA and .901 SV% in that postseason.  He also made 50 starts for the Oilers this season, posting a 2.81 GAA and a .896 SV%.  He now has a second chance to try to reclaim his number one spot while trying to lead Edmonton to a commanding three-game lead in the series.

Western Conference Notes: Landeskog, Pickard, Poturalski

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After recently playing for the first time in 1,032 days, Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog is set for a bigger role in game four of their matchup with against the Dallas Stars, per an NHL release.

The veteran is expected to join the top power-play unit and slot in on a line alongside Brock Nelson and Valeri Nichushkin. In his game three return, a 2-1 lost, Landeskog remarkably led all players with six hits in 13:16 of total ice time. He skated on the Avs third line next to Charlie Coyle and Joel Kiviranta.

After captaining the Colorado Avalanche to a Stanley Cup championship in 2022, the winger, 32, underwent arthroscopic knee surgery, which put his career in jeopardy. But after nearly three years of intense rehab, the Swedish-born forward has made his return, something that has greatly inspired the organization.

As head coach Avalanche Jared Bednar stated today: “It’s remarkable, really. When you think about the time he’s been away, and then you see the way he played the other night, I thought he was incredible under those circumstances.”

Elsewhere in the Western Conference:

  • The Edmonton Oilers have announced goalie Calvin Pickard will start game three of their first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings, per TSN. Pickard replaced Stuart Skinner in the third period of the team’s 6-2 loss in game two. Coach Kris Knoblauch noted the team will need a big game from Pickard, adding that the Oilers need “big saves at big times.” Pickard had a solid showing in the regular season, finishing with 22-10-1 record and .900 save percentage. Skinner, meanwhile, struggled for a starter with a .896 save percentage on the year through 51 appearances. And through two playoff starts, the 26-year-old holds a rough .810 save percentage and staggering 6.11 goals against average. If the Oilers have any hope of making another deep playoff run, they’ll need significantly better play between the pipes.
  • While not much went right for the San Jose Sharks this season, their AHL-affiliate does have something big to celebrate. San Jose Barracuda forward Andrew Poturalski was announced as the winner of the Les Cunningham Award as the AHL’s most valuable player, per a league release. Poturalski, 31, scored 73 points in 59 games to lead the Barracuda to their best record since 2019 (while missing the final three weeks of the regular season due to injury). Poturalski has had a phenomenal AHL career, securing three scoring titles and two Calder Cup championships. However, he has never been able to showcase that success in the NHL, appearing in just nine games with three assists.

Pacific Notes: Pickard, Honzek, Räty

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Oilers goaltender Calvin Pickard left Saturday’s 5-4 win over the Kraken midway through the first period with an apparent upper-body injury, writes The Athletic’s Daniel Nugent-Bowman. The 32-year-old did not return to the bench after the play, and he saw his head hit the post as he fell backward after colliding with Kraken forward Yanni Gourde and teammate Philip Kemp.

Head coach Kris Knoblauch said postgame that Pickard is undergoing further evaluation and should receive an update on his status Sunday afternoon. For now, though, Edmonton’s No. 2 goalie option behind Stuart Skinner is questionable for the start of the regular season next week.

Pickard found his way back into full-time NHL action last season for the first time since 2018-19 after Jack Campbell faltered early, leading the Oilers to waive him and promote Pickard from AHL Bakersfield. The nine-year veteran was above-average the rest of the way, posting a .909 SV% and 2.45 GAA in 20 starts and three relief appearances en route to a 12-7-1 record. He signed a two-year, $2MM extension on June 28 to avoid hitting unrestricted free agency and stay in Edmonton.

The Oilers are projected to open the season with $946K in cap space and an open roster spot, per PuckPedia. That gives them plenty of flexibility to roster a third goalie on their opening night roster if Pickard’s absence is short-term and he isn’t eligible for long-term injured reserve.

That third goalie could be 24-year-old Olivier Rodrigue. The 2018 second-round pick is coming off a strong season in Bakersfield, where he posted a .916 SV% in 37 games. 52-game NHL veteran Collin Delia is also an option, but the 30-year-old struggled mightily with a .872 SV% in 32 games for the AHL’s Manitoba Moose last year while in the Jets organization.

More from the Pacific Division:

  • Flames 2023 first-round pick Samuel Honzek is getting a long leash in the preseason, playing in four exhibition contests thus far. After he posted a +1 rating in 16:20 of ice time Saturday against the Canucks, Calgary head coach Ryan Huska said Honzek is “going to make it really hard on us” to leave him off the opening night roster. The 19-year-old Slovak sniper will be turning pro this season regardless. After posting 31 points in 33 games with the WHL’s Vancouver Giants last year, his November birthday means he’s old enough for a full-time AHL assignment in 2024-25.
  • In Vancouver, center prospect Aatu Räty is making a similarly strong impression. Acquired from the Islanders in the Bo Horvat swap in 2023, the 21-year-old pivot has looked promising in the preseason in a potential third-line role between Conor Garland and Nils Höglander, opines The Province’s Patrick Johnston. The 2021 second-round pick did have 52 points in 72 games for AHL Abbotsford last season, finishing fourth on the team in scoring. One factor working in his favor, as Johnston points out – he’s a right-shot center on a team without any others.

Oilers Extend Calvin Pickard, Cam Dineen

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4:40 p.m.: Pickard’s deal is now official, with the Oilers confirming the terms as reported.

2:18 p.m.: The Oilers are finishing up on a two-year contract extension for backup netminder Calvin Pickard, reports ESPN’s Kevin Weekes. It’s a $2MM deal ($1MM cap hit), according to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff. He was slated to become a UFA on Monday.

They also have a piece of completed business done for depth defenseman Cam Dineen. The pending Group VI UFA has been retained on a two-year, two-way deal, per PuckPedia. It’ll pay him $775K NHL/$275K AHL ($325K guaranteed) in 2024-25 before bumping to $775K NHL/$350K AHL ($400K guaranteed) in 2025-26.

The extension marks a return to consistent NHL time for Pickard, a 32-year-old journeyman who’d largely been a minor league option since 2019. But a stretch of poor play from Jack Campbell to open Edmonton’s season caused them to waive him and assign him to the AHL early on, paving the way for Pickard to earn his keep as a backup to Stuart Skinner.

At the time, it was an easy decision. Campbell had struggled ever since signing with the Oilers in free agency in 2022, and sending him down opened up $1.15MM in cap space. Meanwhile, Pickard had gotten off to a strong start on the farm, putting up a .939 SV% in his first four outings for the Bakersfield Condors.

Pickard didn’t blow the doors off in his first extended NHL chance in a while, nor did anyone expect him to. But he was a much more stable option to insert in relief of the developing Skinner, and did manage to give the Oilers some above-average play with a .909 SV% and 2.45 GAA in 23 appearances. The Avalanche 2010 second-round pick also made his playoff debut in relief of Skinner in Game 3 of their second-round win over the Canucks, also starting Games 4 and 5 before Skinner returned after a much-needed reset for Game 6. Pickard held his own with a .915 SV%, helping Edmonton recover and advance all the way to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final.

A $1MM cap hit is still fully buriable in the minors if the Oilers fail to find a way to move on from the remainder of Campbell’s contract this summer and he fights for a spot in training camp, but it’s a good indication they envision Pickard seeing NHL time for the next two years. His 23 outings this season were his most since being forced into starting action for the Avalanche during their last-place finish in 2016-17.

Meanwhile, Dineen is expected to reprise a top-four role in Bakersfield after spending all of this season in the minors. Since acquiring the 26-year-old via trade from the Coyotes in March 2023, he’s put up seven goals and 30 assists for 37 points in 77 games with the Condors while logging a -3 rating. He has seven assists and a -16 rating in 34 career NHL appearances, all of which came in Arizona in 2021-22. Dineen was a third-round pick of the Coyotes in the 2016 draft.

West Second Round Notes: Pickard, Toews, Henrique, Stars

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Looking to even up their series against the Vancouver Canucks tonight, the Edmonton Oilers will be making a major change in the crease. As mentioned in a pre-game update from Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff, the Oilers will be looking to goaltender Calvin Pickard to backstop their team to a victory tonight.

The decision has little mystery, as Edmonton has received a completely different version of Stuart Skinner in their Round Two matchup. Against the Los Angeles Kings, Skinner stopped 132 of 145 shots en route to a solid .910 save percentage after Round One. However, in the team’s first three games against Vancouver, Skinner has only stopped 46 of 58 total shots, leading to a dismal .793 SV%.

Stepping in for a little over 16 minutes of Game 3, Pickard will take the crease for the first playoff start of his career. Getting an opportunity as the backup after the Oilers waived Jack Campbell in early November, Pickard helped stabilize the goaltending situation in Edmonton over the course of the regular season. Over 23 games played, Pickard earned a 12-7-1 record, posting a .909 SV% and 2.45 goals against average in the process.

Other second-round notes:

  • After missing the team’s Game 4 matchup against the Dallas Stars last night, Colorado Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews will be traveling with the team to Texas, and the organization is hopeful that he can return to the lineup for Game 5 (X Link). Head coach of the Avalanche, Jared Bednar, reiterated to reporters that Toews missed Game 4 due to illness and that his absence was not related to the hit delivered by Stars’ forward Jamie Benn in the second period of Game 2. On the brink of elimination for the first time this postseason, Colorado’s chances of extending the series will increase if Toews is able to crack the lineup for Game 5.
  • Moving back to Alberta, Oilers TV reporter Tony Brar confirmed that forward Adam Henrique will not be in Edmonton’s lineup for Game 4. In his first postseason appearance since the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Henrique had been a valuable defensive presence in the Oilers’ forward core through the first six games of the playoffs. Scoring only one goal and two points while averaging just over 15 minutes of ice time per night, Henrique has been extremely physical, averaging 3.7 hits a game against the Kings and the Canucks.
  • While both were shaken up in the Stars’ Game 4 victory against the Avalanche last night, head coach Peter DeBoer did not offer any updates on the status of Roope Hintz or Chris Tanev (X Link). Hintz, who was only able to manage 6:35 of ice time, left the game during the first period and would not return. Tanev, on the other hand, managed over 21 minutes of ice time and left the game in the third period after getting shaken up by a hit. However, as in the case of most teams in the playoffs, both players could be ready to return for Game 5, and the update could be some gamesmanship on behalf of the Stars organization.

Waivers: 10/7/23

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The final day of the preseason is today so pretty soon, teams will be finalizing their season-opening rosters which means there will be plenty of players on waivers this weekend.  Here is today’s group, via TSN’s Chris Johnston (Twitter link).

Boston Bruins

F Jesper Boqvist
F Oskar Steen
D Jakub Zboril

Buffalo Sabres

F Brandon Biro
D Kale Clague
D Riley Stillman

Colorado Avalanche

D Jack Ahcan
D Brad Hunt

Columbus Blue Jackets

F Trey Fix-Wolansky

Edmonton Oilers

D Cam Dineen
D Philip Kemp
F Brad Malone
G Calvin Pickard

Los Angeles Kings

F Tyler Madden

Nashville Predators

F Denis Gurianov
F Jachym Kondelik (unconditional for the purposes of release, per CapFriendly)

New Jersey Devils

F Shane Bowers
F Justin Dowling
F Tyce Thompson
F Maxwell Willman

Seattle Kraken

G Chris Driedger
D Cale Fleury
F John Hayden

As expected at this point in training camp, the majority of these players have some form of NHL experience.

Boston’s trio is certainly intriguing.  Boqvist is coming off a 21-point season (10 goals, 11 assists) with the Devils but was non-tendered this summer due to arbitration eligibility, resulting in him signing a one-year deal for the minimum with the Bruins.  Still just 24, a rebuilding team might be inclined to give him a shot.  Steen played in 20 games with Boston back in 2021-22 and looked like a potential fourth-line center of the future at the time.  He cleared waivers last season but teams looking for depth down in the middle could consider him.  As for Zboril, he was limited to just 22 games last season but has 76 appearances at the top level under his belt.  A first-round pick back in 2015 (13th overall), he has a bit of a higher cap hit ($1.1375MM) which could scare teams off but he could be a fit on the third pairing of some rebuilding squads.

Among the other forwards on the wire today, Gurianov stands out.  He put up 20 goals with Dallas back in 2019-20, following that up with 30 points in just 55 games one year later.  However, he has struggled considerably since then and notched just seven goals between Dallas and Montreal last season.  Still, with an $800K price tag, he’s a player who could be claimed.  Madden was viewed as a quality prospect not long ago but has yet to see NHL action.  However, he’s only 23 and is signed for the minimum this season which makes him a possible claim candidate as well.

On the back end, Fleury was up with Seattle all of last season but was limited to just a dozen games.  He impressed in 2021-22 while playing with AHL Charlotte and as a right-shot defender – the side that many teams covet – he could garner some consideration.  Stillman was acquired from Vancouver last season and played in 50 games between the two teams, albeit in a number six role.  While he has a fair bit of experience (158 games in total), his contract could hurt his chances of being claimed as a $1.35MM price is more than a lot of teams can afford.

In goal, Driedger is the headliner here but at $3.5MM, there’s very little chance he’ll be picked up.  He missed most of last season due to an injury sustained at the 2022 Worlds.  Pickard didn’t see any NHL action last season for the first time since 2013-14.  The 31-year-old put up a 2.70 GAA with a .912 SV% in Bakersfield last season and has 116 NHL games under his belt.  Notably, he’s signed for the minimum which gives him a small chance of being picked up at least.

These players will be on waivers until 1 PM CT on Sunday.  Meanwhile, Sunday will be the last day for teams to place players on waivers and have them clear prior to Monday’s season-opening roster submission so expect plenty of waiver activity tomorrow.

More to follow.

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