Oilers Rumors: 'Inevitable' That Oilers Will Be Trading For Goalie

The Stuart Skinner/Calvin Pickard duo will be broken up by the Oilers, sooner or later

Aside from Connor McDavid and his pending extension, the No. 1 topic of conversation that surrounds the Edmonton Oilers continues to be their goaltending. Will they run it back yet again with the oft-maligned duo of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard?

Oilers analyst Jason Gregor, on Daily Faceoff's DFO Rundown this week, expressed his belief that a trade is coming — sooner or later.

I'll be surprised if after the trade deadline, and maybe even before then, the same two goalies are in Edmonton in Pickard and Skinner. I just think it's inevitable there's going to be a change there, it's just a matter of when, and who they're going to bring in.

Insider Mike Russo, appearing on the podcast with Gregor, echoed those sentiments. "You just wonder if at some point (Oilers GM) Stan Bowman is just going to have to look at that come trade deadline, even more so than other areas."

Skinner posted an .896 save percentage in the regular season last year, but it dropped to .889 in the playoffs. Likewise, Pickard, who had a .900 Sv% through his 36 appearances (31 starts) during the season, saw that sink to .886 in the playoffs. Neither is seen as the type of goalie that carries a team to a Stanley Cup championship (not that Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl need to be 'carried' by anyone, but it sure helps in the Finals to get that big stop when you need it).

This will be an ongoing story for the Oilers, as it has been for the last couple of seasons, unless/until a move is made to bring in a new name between the pipes. Gregor & Russo fully believe that is coming.