In the Edmonton Oilers’ first NHL season (1979-80), a deadline deal for a goaltender (Ron Low) proved inspired. Low’s addition vaulted the team into the playoffs during the inaugural season, giving fans an idea about what was to come. Since then, the Oilers have made several deadline deals for goaltenders, some of them famously helping the cause.
Even the best-laid plans at the deadline sometimes need a rewrite at important moments. Some of those deadline pickups delivered, but others got hurt and still others needed to be replaced before the playoffs.
In the history of the Oilers, famous goalie playoff tweaks have delivered agony and ecstasy via coaching decisions made in the heat of the moment. Here’s a quick look at the goalie changes, what happened in the days after the coaching staff made the big decision and how the current situation may impact the team this spring.
The 1980s
The 1980s in goal could be described as the Grant Fuhr decade. Among the 127 playoff games Edmonton played in the decade, Fuhr started 92 (73 percent) and won 66 playoff games. The Oilers were forced to make a move in net only twice during the decade. Both times, Andy Moog stepped in.
| Year | Inserted | Result |
|---|---|---|
|
1981 |
Andy Moog |
Impact series v Canadiens |
|
1984 |
Andy Moog |
Replaced injured Grant Fuhr |
All numbers via NHL.com
The 1981 goalie change happened at the beginning of the playoffs. Coach Glen Sather shocked the media gathered at the Montreal Forum on the morning of Game 1 of the series that spring between Edmonton and the Canadiens. He announced that the untested Moog would start against the legendary Montreal lineup. The media reaction was swift and decidedly critical. All Moog did was post a .938 save percentage in helping the upstart Oilers (called “pesky” and filled with “enthusiasm and hard work”) win the first-round series in three straight games.
The 1984 goalie change was truly unfortunate. Fuhr delivered the single most impressive goaltending performance in Oilers Stanley Cup Final history in Game 1 of the series versus the New York Islanders. In Game 3 of the series, New York forward Pat LaFontaine crashed into Fuhr, injuring the goalie’s shoulder and ending his postseason. Moog performed brilliantly in both seasons.
The 2006 final
Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final in 2006 will always be a difficult memory. The organization had a brilliant trade deadline courtesy of general manager Kevin Lowe, with goalie Dwayne Roloson acquired to shore up the only real area of weakness. Roloson was exceptional down the stretch and helped the team storm the Western Conference with brilliant goaltending. The Oilers had a big lead in Game 1 of the Final, but faltered, and then Roloson was injured 54 minutes into the game.
| Year | Inserted | Result |
|---|---|---|
|
2006 |
Ty Conklin |
Lost G1 SCF |
All numbers via NHL.com
Ty Conklin entered the game for Edmonton after the Roloson injury. He was part of a two-way backup rotation, with Mike Morrison the goaltender who didn’t dress that day. Conklin misplayed the puck behind the Edmonton net, and the Oilers lost a game that should never have been in doubt. All these years later, it remains a painful memory for Oilers fans.
Mike Smith and Mikko Koskinen
In Game 1 of the 2020 qualifying series versus the Chicago Blackhawks, head coach Dave Tippett started veteran Mike Smith, who had played for him in Dallas and Phoenix. Just six minutes into the game, Smith turned the puck over and Edmonton was in chaos. He was replaced for the rest of the series by Mikko Koskinen, who improved the goalie performance. However, the Oilers would win only one game that spring.
Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard
In the second round of the 2024 playoffs, Stuart Skinner was having a tough time with the Vancouver Canucks. He surrendered a comfortable 4-1 lead by allowing three goals in the third period to put the Oilers down a game early in the series. Edmonton tied the series with Skinner backstopping the team to a 4-3 overtime win in Game 2.
Game 3 saw Skinner struggle, and he was replaced by Pickard. Coach Kris Knoblauch gave the net to Pickard for Game 4 and the veteran performed brilliantly, allowing Edmonton to tie the series. Pickard played well in Game 5, but lost a close one and was replaced by Skinner, who would finish out the series. Skinner was the man in goal after that, performing well and helping the Oilers get all the way to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final.
This season’s playoffs have started in a similar fashion. Skinner struggled and Pickard has stepped in to calm the waters. The first two games against the Los Angeles Kings featured a massive goal differential (12-7 goals for the Kings) and forced Knoblauch to deploy Pickard in the pivotal third game.
Pickard had some chaos in Game 3 but delivered a splendid performance. He was money several times late in the game as Edmonton stormed back for the first victory of the series. His strong play with the game on the line earned Pickard a start in Game 4.
What’s next?
Pickard played well in Game 4, in front of an Oilers defence that had plenty of chaos and loose coverage. As regulation time wore on, he made several key saves during the period when the skaters were selling out for offence.
Playing goal in front of this Oilers defence is a difficult task, but the veteran (he’s 33) has delivered as a stopgap option for two playoff springs in a row. He’s about two years younger than Dwayne Roloson — also a journeyman, but with more NHL experience — when he arrived in Edmonton at the 2006 deadline.
There’s a need for NHL goaltending on this Oilers team. Stuart Skinner was the starter entering the season and the postseason.
Pickard was used by the Oilers coaching staff a year ago as a reliever, and Skinner popped back into the starting role after a couple of games.
Based on Pickard’s performances in Games 3 and 4, Edmonton may have a new starting goaltender for some time to come.
(Photo of Connor McDavid and Calvin Pickard: Codie McLachlan / Getty Images)