They say likability is a more important trait than competence.
A report from insider Frank Seravalli yesterday during an appearance on Bleacher Report indicates the Edmonton Oilers were going to pull the trigger on a goaltending shakeup, but that was essentially vetoed by the Oilers locker room.
The attempted shakeup
This offseason, the Oilers made a bit of a splash in the goalie market by picking up Connor Ingram. The pedigree and history was there: Ingram is a former Kamloops Blazer superstar and started 50 games for the Arizona Coyotes in 2023-24 when he also led the entire NHL in shutouts.
The Oilers apparently tried to move Pickard to the AHL and bring up Ingram to be the backup goalie instead.
I think the Oilers wanted to make a change with Calvin Pickard coming out of this road trip; I think they wanted to try and bring up Connor Ingram.
I think Calvin Pickard is such an immensely popular player in that Edmonton Oilers locker room that their top players went to bat for Calvin Pickard. That’s why Calvin Pickard is sticking around, at least for the time being.
Frank Seravalli on Bleacher Report
Everyone knew there was a lot of work for Ingram to do to get back into NHL game shape, but he’s started seven games in the AHL and the timing makes sense with how poorly Pickard has played.
Who’s running this team?
Pickard has posted absolutely horrendous numbers this season: a 4.04 GAA and .847SV% has Pickard well below NHL level.
If the Oilers locker room has the power to block a move like this, I question the people in charge.
Full credit to the Oilers for showing up for Pickard in his last full game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, but they lost that game in overtime. Pickard followed up that loss with four goals allowed on 18 shots in relief last night against the Dallas Stars.
We need to stop rewarding people for being nice, and popular, and trying hard. If they’re not good enough, they need to go.
Will Ingram be better than Pickard? Maybe, maybe not. But something needs to change. We have to try something. Just do SOMETHING.
The problem isn’t just one person, it’s the whole team defensively. There’s just too much communication breakdown in the defensive zone between all 5 skaters on the ice. If the boys don’t smarten up? They’re gonna get Knoblauch fired which would suck.
Even if we had a clutch goalie like all the articles talk about? It doesn’t matter if he doesn’t get proper support in front of him.
Last playoffs? LA Kings 5 skaters did an amazing job the first few games to stop our offence… And then they forgot how to do it and we eliminated them in game 6. Darcy Kemper is clutch, but he still needs support too.
Same could especially be said about Igor Shesterkin and Jonathan Quick and the NY Rangers right now. Amazing goaltending but the rest of the team is losing them games