Oilers Rumors: Goalie Trade Target Still Sitting Out East

The Edmonton Oilers finally made a goalie change by bringing in Tristan Jarry from the Pittsburgh Penguins and trading Stuart Skinner. But this was the better of the two goalies who have served in the Oilers' net over the past three seasons. That means now that the band-aid has been torn off with Skinner, the worst of the goalies, Calvin Pickard, is next to go and something will happen, possibly sooner than later.

Elliotte Friedman said, "The Oilers poked around Alex Lyon...It wasn't as serious as Tristan Jarry, but they inquired on Lyon." This makes plenty of sense. Jarry is the better and more experienced goalie, but costs more. That was what the Oilers were willing to risk. He has proven to be a starter in the NHL. Lyon hasn't. At best, he's had good stretches and been a good tandem goalie. Going with Skinner and Lyon wouldn't have been a bad mid-season decision with what the Oilers had to work with.

Edmonton couldn't afford to wait until the offseason and go into another playoffs with the tandem that has given them a 3.18 GAA and .879 SV% this season. Jarry sits at a .909 SV% on the season and in his career. It was an upgrade however you look at it.

Lyon is signed through next season at $1.5 million AAV, being very affordable for the Oilers. If they could manage to bring in a $5.375 million AAV goalie, they can work something out to bring in a goalie more than 3.5 times cheaper, and only $500,000 more expensive than Pickard, who has a 4.04 GAA and .851 SV% this season. Those are numbers that have gotten many goalies with better careers and who are better sent to the minors, like Jack Campbell or even Jarry last season.

The Buffalo Sabres have Lyon, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, and Colten Ellis in the NHL, and Devon Levi in the AHL. The Sabres are in last place in the Eastern Conference. They are in a position to sell.

The Oilers have $1 million in cap space. So if Pickard is swapped out for Lyon, there is money left over. When players come off of the IR and LTIR, decisions will have to be made, but the Oilers shouldn't be confident going into any game where Pickard is in the net after what he has shown. He was a band-aid himself and the Oilers have run with that claiming there weren't any better options. There have been plenty and with their starter being upgraded, the backup needs to follow swiftly.