Edmonton Oilers sign Calvin Pickard to two-year extension

The Edmonton Oilers have signed goaltender Calvin Pickard to a two-year extension, Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reported Friday.

The deal will see him earn $1-million in each season.

Pickard joined the Oilers on a two-year deal ahead of the 2022-23 season, spending all of the first season in the American League, and starting last season there too. His first year saw him draw in for 38 games with the Bakersfield Condors, posting a 23-12-2 record and a .912 save percentage. This past season, however, he lasted all of four games there before getting called up to the big club. That was due to Jack Campbell’s early season struggles, leading them to switching spots in the organization.

While there wasn’t a huge amount of confidence early on when the move was made, Pickard ended up having an excellent season. He drew in for 23 games, posting a 12-7-1- record, a .909 save percentage and a 2.45 GAA.

He would also get his first taste of the NHL playoffs, too, playing in Games 4 and 5 of the Oilers’ second round series against the Vancouver Canucks. He went 1-1 in those games, posting a 2.21 GAA and .915 save percentage, helping give Stuart Skinner a breather. It paid off dividends, as between Skinner’s return and the end of the playoff run, he posted a .914 save percentage — a far cry from the .877 he had before.

The signing all but confirms that Pickard will be the Oilers back up for next season, and it’s a well-deserved nod for a player who stepped up big when they needed him to this season. It also is a signal that Jack Campbell’s time in Edmonton will come to an end, either by way of trade, or buyout.

Had there ever been a chance for Campbell to return to NHL action with Edmonton this season, it’s likely we wouldn’t have seen Pickard brought back.

Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@thenationnetwork.com.