For most of the Edmonton Oilers’ history, goaltending has been a sore point, but this season, things reached a boiling point.

Frustration had been building throughout Oil Country ever since Jack Campbell imploded in 2022, thrusting Stuart Skinner into the starter role ahead of schedule. Skinner’s numbers in Edmonton were fine in aggregate, but his inconsistency led to several ill-timed playoff meltdowns — a big problem for a club in the middle of their championship window.

The Oilers’ organizational depth wasn’t good enough behind their starter, either. Calvin Pickard is a serviceable backup, but hardly the reliable tandem guy you’d want to take the reins during a prolonged Skinner cold spell. They needed an upgrade.

Last offseason, the team fired longtime goalie coach Dustin Schwartz and replaced him with Peter Aubry in a last-ditch effort to salvage their tandem. They also traded for Connor Ingram, who had a brief run as the starter in Arizona before off-ice struggles led him to the player assistance program in 2025. The organization started him with the Bakersfield Condors to give him time to rebuild his game.

Ingram struggled out of the gate in Bakersfield, however, and neither Skinner nor Pickard made much progress under Aubry. The Oilers responded in December by trading Skinner, along with Brett Kulak and a second-round pick, to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Tristan Jarry.

In 14 games with the Penguins this season, Jarry had sparkling numbers, posting a .909 save percentage and 7.59 goals saved above expected. But like Skinner, Jarry had a history of streaky play, making him a risky bet.

Stan Bowman believed Jarry’s hot play would carry over in Edmonton, but the very opposite happened. In his third start with the team, Jarry suffered a lower-body injury that kept him out for a month. When he came back, his game cratered.

Jarry’s .858 save percentage with the Oilers was worse than any goalie who played more than 10 games this season. To make matters worse, there wasn’t one obvious weakness to blame. No quick fix. Nearly his whole game seemed out of sorts, with struggles ranging from rebound control and long-range shots to communication with his defence. He became unplayable. The Oilers sat Jarry on the bench for most of the stretch run and playoffs, and Ingram took over the crease.

Ingram first entered the picture during Jarry’s injury absence, splitting duties with Pickard. While he wasn’t spectacular, he provided steady, league-average goaltending that trumped what Edmonton’s other goaltenders accomplished.

No single stat can fully capture a goalie’s performance, but goals saved above expected is one of the best tools we have. Unlike save percentage, which treats every shot equally, it accounts for shot quality, providing a more accurate measure of a goaltender’s impact. Here’s how Edmonton’s goalies shook out:

Between Ingram, Pickard, and Jarry, only Ingram performed above expected during the regular season. In the playoffs, however, he fell apart, ranking dead last in goals saved above expected at minus-6.74. He couldn’t control rebounds, and the Anaheim Ducks feasted on second and third-chance opportunities, eliminating the Oilers in the first round with relative ease.

The Oilers are in a tricky spot with their goaltending heading into the offseason. Between Jarry’s contract and Campbell’s buyout, they already have $7.935 million committed to their goalies next season, and there’s still a roster spot to fill. Ingram and Pickard are both unrestricted free agents.

While a Jarry bounce-back is possible, Edmonton is still right back where they started, with an unpredictable number one goalie and no strong number two. They need to add someone capable of sharing the crease with Jarry while offering legitimate starter upside.

Things have been strangely quiet on the Ingram front, which may indicate the Oilers are prepared to move on. But if Ingram isn’t back, then who do they get?

Insiders have linked prospect goalie Sebastian Cossa to the Oilers in recent weeks, and the rationale makes some sense. He’s an RFA this summer, but with only one game of NHL experience, his next contract will come cheap. Cossa posted a save percentage above .910 for three consecutive seasons in the AHL, and still has tons of room to grow at 23 years old. His high upside and affordable cap hit could make him a compelling partner for Jarry, but adding someone so unproven comes with risks.

Sam Montembeault and Alex Lyon are veteran trade candidates worth inquiring about. Lyon is coming off a solid season with the Buffalo Sabres in which he posted a .907 save percentage and 10.35 goals saved above expected in 36 games. The Sabres have Ukko-Pekka-Luukkonen under contract for multiple years, and a couple of young goalies pushing for an NHL role in Colten Ellis and Devon Levi. With one year left at $1.5 million, could Lyon shake loose for the Oilers?

Montembeault, on the other hand, had a couple of fantastic seasons with the Montreal Canadiens before having a rough 2025-26 campaign. His minus-3.69 goals saved above expected this season is a bit of an outlier for his career, making him a potentially savvy buy-low. Montembeault’s $3.15 million cap hit would be tough to fit without moving Jarry, however.

A goalie trade is likely between now and the start of next season, given the exceptionally weak free agent goalie class. Whether the target is Cossa or someone else, they can’t afford another miss. Finding an answer in goal is one of the most critical decisions of the summer.

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