Following yet another defeat in the Stanley Cup Final, the Edmonton Oilers can no longer turn a blind eye to the elephant in the room: goaltending. Once again, it proved to be a major obstacle in Connor McDavid’s pursuit of his first championship. Now, Edmonton is reportedly eyeing the goalie market—and one veteran netminder with over 200 NHL wins is said to be interested in a move to Alberta.
The deflating result at the NHL’s biggest stage opened too many doors for Edmonton to address in one offseason. Although McDavid’s extension is the top-priority, the Oilers cannot sleep on Evan Bouchard’s expiring deal, either.
However, fixing their goaltending tandem is arguably in the same tier. Discouraging performances in net— by both Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard—held Edmonton back. Such dilemma in the crease came at a cost for McDavid and the Oilers. Ultimately, the Florida Panthers exploited Edmonton’s flaws and liabilities.
In the 2025–26 NHL campaign, Edmonton is determined to turn things around. While uncertainty looms over the futures of Pickard and Skinner, one thing is clear: the duo will likely be split up next season—perhaps even both could be shown the exit door.
John Gibson #36 of the Anaheim Ducks looks on during the first period of a game against the Calgary Flames at Honda Center on January 07, 2025 in Anaheim, California.
Duck, duck, goose
As the Oilers search for much-needed reinforcements across the league, reports suggest they’ve received the green light from a veteran goaltender with over 200 NHL wins.
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Anaheim Ducks goaltender John Gibson is seemingly willing to accept a trade to Edmonton, as reported by David Pagnotta in dialogue with Sportsnet 960. Gibson has two years remaining on his eight-year, $51.2M contract, which includes a 10-team no-trade list.
Starter or nothing
While Gibson might be interested in joining McDavid and the Oilers, he has made it clear in the past he intends to be the No.1 goalie if he is to move out of Anaheim. However, he has lost the starting crease in California to Lukas Dostal, so staying in town might not be ideal, either.
