Now that newly acquired Goaltender Tristan Jarry has returned from long-term injured reserve, the Edmonton Oilers face a difficult decision. This decision may impact the future of their netminding.
After trading Edmonton product, Stuart Skinner, for Tristan Jarry, it makes sense to give Jarry one of the two positions. But who should they be putting behind him to be a Stanley Cup contender team for the third straight year?
Tristan Jarry and Connor Ingram: the Colorado move
This is starting to seem like the most likely of tandems for several reasons. With Jarry starting his time in Edmonton with a 3–0–1 record and a 0.878 save percentage, the 10-year veteran seems like the most likely to be our starting netminder. This is if he can keep healthy for the remainder of the regular season, and into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Alongside Jarry, 28-year-old Connor Ingram could be the perfect fit. After being called up from the Bakersfield Condors, he provided relief for the recently returned Tristan Jarry. He has started eight games, with a record of 4–3–1. He posted a 0.907 save percentage over those eight games, which are numbers we haven’t seen a lot in recent years.
Looking back at previous backup goalies in previous years, we haven’t had a lot of consistency. One main example of that would be Jack Campbell. In two seasons with the Oilers, he held a record of 22–13–4, and a save percentage of 0.881 over 39 starts. He was then sent to the Bakersfield Condors. Inevitably, he was bought out due to inconsistency between the pipes.
Hopefully, by shaking up the roster by adding both Jarry and Ingram to the lineup, it will finally break the goaltending curse we have experienced in previous years with Skinner, Pickard, Jack Campbell, Mike Smith, Mikko Koskinen, Cam Talbot, and Viktor Fasth.
Tristan Jarry and Calvin Pickard: The “Vibes Guy”
As easy as the decision may seem, they still have a big locker room “vibes guy” in Calvin Pickard. Starting the season with a 5–6–2 record and a 0.871 save percentage over those games, Pickard seems to be struggling to play up to his potential.
When all hope in Stuart Skinner seemed to be lost, Calvin Pickard was the guy who kept his spirits up. I will never forget one great example. It was when the Edmonton Oilers lost Game 6 of the Stanley Cup playoffs: Skinner broke down in the crease, and before anything else, Pickard ran to the crease to comfort him. In Stuart Skinner’s final game in an Oilers uniform, he made 26 saves. He faced 27 shots in that game. He and Pickard shared a clearly emotional embrace after the team posted a 4–1 win that night.
His recent performance in the 2024–25 Stanley Cup playoffs was also impressive. He also received a “Bill Masterson Trophy” nomination for demonstrating perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to the team. Sending him back to the Bakersfield Condors would seem like a questionable move. But is that going to be enough to save his position as a full-time backup goalie?
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Tristan Jarry and potential trade deadline acquisition
There have been some rumours that the Oilers are still in the market for a goalie. There is a lack of options out there. This makes it seem like the least likely of the options. However, given the right trade return, teams like the Calgary Flames might consider giving up Devin Cooley.
Cooley is a backup goalie on a 30th-place team. The team is in the middle of a rebuild, yet he still boasts a 0.918 save percentage and only a 2.29 goals against average. Should the Oilers consider a trade? This might involve a bottom-six forward and a third or fourth-round pick in the 2026 NHL draft. This trade could be for someone who might be a better fit for that backup role.
So what is the right decision?
The Oilers have until Sunday to reassign Ingram to their AHL affiliate. He can be reassigned without needing to clear waivers. This allows the Oilers to keep Ingram in as a third goalie for a few more games. He has posted a fairly impressive stat sheet in his eight starts with Edmonton. Is his current performance enough? Can he claim the three-year Oilers position as a backup goalie for the remainder of the season?
Calvin Pickard holds one of the best records in Oilers playoff history. Is his more lengthy playoff experience something that the Oilers would be better off holding onto? Connor Ingram is bringing his consistency to the table, putting up between a 0.900 save percentage and 0.967 save percentage in his last four starts. Pretty impressive stats for a backup goalie, don’t you think? So, who would be a better fit for the Edmonton Oilers to help maintain the “cup or bust” mentality?
I hate to say it, but I believe the best course of action would be to send Pickard to Bakersfield. We should continue to run Tristan Jarry and Connor Ingram in the net. Ingram picked up a pretty big role when Jarry got injured and proved that he can handle those situations. He has been making all of the saves we can expect from an NHL-caliber goalie, many of which can be game-changing. All goalies have holes, but he has a lot fewer of them than we have seen in previous seasons. By adding his consistency to that role, I believe that we may finally have a tandem that is fully capable of taking us all the way. That is why I believe that he is the best fit for being the Edmonton Oilers’ backup goalie.
Let us know your thoughts!
If you keep three, then play three. Don’t let Pickard ride the bench for weeks then throw him to the wolves. He’ll be rusty and the fans will cry and call for his head. If your not going to play him, trade or waive him.