Oilers 2025-26 Report Cards: Calvin Pickard – The Hockey Writers – Edmonton Oilers

As the offseason rolls on, so do the Edmonton Oilers’ player grades. The last report card graded Leon Draisaitl, and now we turn our attention to goaltender Calvin Pickard.

Pickard had a solid run in Edmonton as the backup the past few seasons. He saved the Oilers’ season on more than one occasion. Stuart Skinner struggled at times during the playoffs, so Pickard had to step in. In 2023-24, he started two playoff games after Skinner lost the crease against the Vancouver Canucks, and he was phenomenal. If he hadn’t played well, the Oilers would have likely lost in the second round.

Then, he started seven playoff games in 2024-25, winning them all, before an injury forced him out. He came up clutch for the team on multiple occasions and was a huge part of their success. Unfortunately, things took a turn for the worse this season, and he was borderline unplayable. This is a “what have you done for me lately?” business, and Pickard didn’t deserve to play based on his recent performance. Let’s reflect on his poor season.

2025-26 Performance

Pickard had an awful season. In 16 games, he had five wins with a 3.68 goals-against average (GAA) and an .871 save percentage (SV%). His last game in Edmonton was on Jan. 8 against the Winnipeg Jets. The organization kept him on the active roster as the third goalie for a few more weeks.

“It hasn’t been my best season. I don’t love how it got to this point, but I get it. You never know, I could be right back in there at some point here soon. But yeah, it does suck, for sure, but don’t feel bad for me. I’ve been through it before. I’m going to be 34 soon, and I’ve seen all these kinds of situations,” Pickard said in an interview with Mark Spector on Jan. 21. He practiced with the team and had no choice but to accept his new role in the press box. This was a frustrating situation for the veteran netminder.

He was finally placed on waivers on Feb. 1 and cleared. He reported to the Bakersfield Condors of the American Hockey League (AHL) and spent the remainder of the regular season in the minors. The journeyman netminder played just eight games for the Condors, and his play didn’t improve. He posted a 3.36 GAA and an .886 SV% in Bakersfield. He rejoined the Oilers for the playoffs but didn’t suit up.

One Great Game Changed the Goaltending Outlook

The biggest turning point of the Oilers’ goaltending saga occurred on Nov. 20 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Oilers got an outstanding goaltending performance from Pickard. He was three minutes away from a shutout. Unfortunately, the Lightning tied the game late in the third period and won it in overtime.

Pickard was fighting for his job. If that start didn’t go well, he would’ve likely been placed on waivers shortly after. But the journeyman netminder pitched a gem, stopping 33 of 35 shots for a .943 SV%. Looking back, that was probably the worst outcome. The Oilers needed to move on from Pickard a lot sooner, but that performance kept him in the NHL.

As a result, Connor Ingram stayed in the minors. Ingram should’ve had a trial run in tandem with Skinner before seeking an upgrade. But that didn’t happen. Instead, the Oilers traded Skinner for Tristan Jarry, in what was an awful, panicky trade. This could have been avoided if Pickard had been sent down earlier, and that terrible trade might not have been made.

Who knows how a Skinner and Ingram tandem would have worked? Maybe that would have been a better solution, rather than trading valuable assets without actually upgrading the position.

Overall Grade

Pickard had a solid 2024-25 season and got a B grade for his performance. Unfortunately, his play fell off a cliff. It’s well known that the 34-year-old goaltender is beloved by his teammates. That’s a big reason why he wasn’t demoted sooner. Despite being well-liked, his on-ice performance was putrid. With that said, he gets an F for his terrible campaign. He was flat-out bad and didn’t give the team enough chances to win.

He’s a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA), and his time in the Oilers’ organization should be over. Keep following The Hockey Writers as we continue the Oilers’ player report cards throughout the offseason.