The clock is ticking on Calvin Pickard’s tenure with the Edmonton Oilers. Actually it has been for a while now.
It’s safe to say Edmonton’s three-goalie arrangement has reached an unsustainable point. While Head Coach Kris Knoblauch initially suggested the team could manage the unusual roster configuration, the reality is becoming harder to ignore in that carrying three netminders severely limits roster flexibility and prevents the Oilers from dressing a full complement of depth skaters.
According to recent reports, multiple teams are already showing interest in the veteran goaltender and it appears increasingly likely that a trade is imminent in the coming days.
Flyers monitoring Calvin Pickard’s situation closely
Among the goaltending trio, Pickard has turned out as the clear odd man out. Connor Ingram, who carries an identical $1M cap hit, has outperformed him significantly with a .907 save percentage over eight games while Pickard has a save percentage of .871 this season. The numbers clearly tell which backup the Oilers prefer moving forward.
This week, NHL insider Jim Matheson has reported that the Philadelphia Flyers are a team actively tracking Pickard’s situation. He noted that with Dan Vladar now sidelined and Sam Ersson struggling in a backup capacity, Flyers General Manager Danny Briere is “monitoring Calvin Pickard goalie situation.”
The fit makes considerable sense for Philadelphia. They are battling for playoff positioning without reliable depth behind the starter and Pickard offers playoff experience at a minimal cap cost. For a team in the thick of the Eastern Conference race adding a proven backup could even be the difference between making the postseason and falling short.
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Rangers also in the mix
Zach Laing of OilersNation has added another potential suitor to the conversation in the New York Rangers. With Ilya Shesterkin currently injured, New York has leaned heavily on 39-year-old Jonathan Quick who has posted a concerning .887 save percentage this season.
“The Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers are two teams that could make ideal trade partners if the Oilers do look to trade Pickard,” Laing reported.
The Rangers’ need is perhaps even more urgent than Philadelphia’s. Quick’s struggles combined with Shesterkin’s injury timeline is up a genuine vulnerability for a Rangers team with championship aspirations.
What’s the return for Edmonton
Given Pickard’s status as a veteran backup experiencing his own down season, expectations need to remain realistic for Edmonton. A late-round draft pick or a lower-level prospect will be the likely compensation, which is hardly a haul but better than losing a roster spot to an unused third goaltender.
However, there’s potential for the deal to expand beyond just goaltending.
Forward Andrew Mangiapane has reportedly been seeking a change of scenery and both the Flyers and Rangers could use middle-six forward depth. If either team shows interest in bundling a Mangiapane acquisition with the Pickard trade, the return could become somewhat more substantial.
While the Oilers could theoretically maintain the status quo for now, the Olympic break seems to be something of a critical deadline. When Adam Henrique is activated from long-term injured reserve following the break, Edmonton will be forced to create cap space.
In that case, moving Pickard potentially alongside Mangiapane would solve both the roster crunch and the cap squeeze in one transaction.
With teams already circling and the timeline compressing, Pickard’s days in an Oilers uniform appear numbered. The only remaining questions are which Eastern Conference team wins the bidding and whether Edmonton can leverage the competition into a slightly better return than a simple salary dump.
