The Edmonton Oilers face a dilemma in their goaltending structure heading into next season. With Stuart Skinner showing flashes of brilliance but posting modest consistency, and Calvin Pickard filling the backup role without being a definitive solution, the team of superstar Connor McDavid is beginning to set plans in motion to address the issue. One potential solution could come from the New Jersey Devils.
McDavid’s situation also adds weight to the matter. If Edmonton is serious about maximizing its generational star, it will need support across all areas. A more solid goaltending presence could make the difference in giving the captain and his offensive teammates a real shot at the glory that has eluded them in the past two years.
However, McDavid’s contract extension remains uncertain as he enters the final year of his deal. While those negotiations develop, the Oilers are also working to resolve other pressing concerns, such as their goalie situation, a problem that haunted them in last year’s playoffs.
The potential new goalie for the Oilers
NHL insider James Nichols of NJ Hockey Now suggested that goaltender Nico Daws could have a promising future in the Oilers. “Daws heading to Edmonton makes a lot of sense,” Nichols wrote, pointing out the Oilers’ urgent need for a younger option who could eventually take over the starting job.
Targeting a name like Daws would give the Oilers a potential long-term solution in net. At the same time, the 24-year-old doesn’t have much room left on the Devils’ roster after several moves that have created fierce competition for the position.
What moves are limiting Daws in New Jersey?
Daws finds himself squeezed out following Jake Allen’s contract extension, while also facing competition from Jacob Markstrom and the arrival of promising young goalies Mikhail Yegorov and Jakub Malek. In that context, while no concrete talks have surfaced, the Oilers could very well enter the picture.