The Edmonton Oilers looked outclassed in their 6-3 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on March 6 at Rogers Place in Edmonton. Part of it was that they looked slower compared to their eastern counterparts, and the defence looked like the Keystone Cops at times. The biggest issue was a familiar story during the Connor McDavid era in Edmonton: they couldn’t get a key save when they needed it from their goaltender, this time being Tristan Jarry.
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When Oilers general manager Stan Bowman announced he was finished tweaking his roster the day before the NHL Trade Deadline, it was disappointing for some Oilers fans who knew that the inconsistent goaltending wouldn’t be addressed.
Bowman Sealed the Fate of the Oilers’ Season in December
On Dec. 12, the Oilers traded much-maligned goaltender Stuart Skinner along with reliable defenceman Brett Kulak and a 2029 second-round draft pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Jarry and forward Sam Poulin. It was supposed to be a fresh start for Jarry and for Skinner, but unfortunately, the trade has worked out better for the Penguins, as Skinner has outplayed Jarry since the trade.
Having the goaltending fall below expectations has been a familiar story in Oil Country since the Oilers drafted McDavid back in June 2015.
Still Looking for the Next Great Oilers Goaltender
Since the beginning of McDavid’s rookie season in 2015-16, the Oilers have been through at least 20 different goalies, ranging from Cam Talbot and Anders Nilsson to Mikko Koskinen, Mike Smith, and Jack Campbell to the current tandem of Jarry and Connor Ingram.
Though there have been some brilliant moments, not one of the goalies Edmonton has had during McDavid’s time with the Oilers could be considered one of the best in the league. That’s on management. Why on earth have the Edmonton Oilers continued to overlook one of the most important positions in hockey for this long?
Oilers in Serious Jeopardy of Missing the Playoffs in 2025-26
With the young, talented Anaheim Ducks surging up the NHL’s Pacific Division standings, it’s looking like the Oilers are losing their chance to claim their first division title since 1987. The Vegas Golden Knights, Seattle Kraken, and San Jose Sharks are all in the mix for a playoff spot. The way the Oilers have been playing lately, there’s a good chance they could be out of a playoff spot by the end of March.
You can blame an underperforming defence, overall fatigue from playing so many games over the past two seasons, and uncertainty with the coaching staff for the Oilers’ underachieving performance this season. But to me, it’s been the Oilers’ inability to get a key save at a time when they’ve needed it the most. That has been their biggest Achilles heel this season and throughout McDavid’s time in Edmonton.
Oilers’ Franchise Has a Tight Window to Turn It Around
When McDavid signed his two-year contract extension at the beginning of the 2025-26 season, it put the organization on notice that it’s win-now time. The way the Oilers are playing in the final stretch of this season, it’s starting to look like they may need a reset and will have to start again in 2026-27 to get McDavid the Stanley Cup he covets so much.
Maybe this off-season, the Oilers brain trust will move heaven and earth to get a great goalie like former Oilers standouts Grant Fuhr, Andy Moog, Bill Ranford, Curtis Joseph, and Dwayne Roloson. Maybe they pursue Jesper Wallstedt or try to get Igor Shesterkin from the New York Rangers. If it means trading a veteran or a prospect such as Ike Howard, then that’s what it means.
Wouldn’t Blame McDavid for Moving On
McDavid has played for five head coaches during his time with the Oilers: Todd McLellan, Ken Hitchcock, Dave Tippett, Jay Woodcroft, and Kris Knoblauch. He’s had three general managers: Peter Chiarelli, Ken Holland, and now Bowman. But the biggest issue has been not having that great goalie, such as Andrei Vasilevskiy or Sergei Bobrovsky, backstopping the team.
If the Oilers don’t address their goaltending in the offseason, McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and company don’t stand a chance of bringing a sixth Stanley Cup to Edmonton. In all likelihood, that means McDavid will leave on or before his two-year contract extension is up. Would you blame him?
