Oilers Finally Cut Ties with Goalie Coach Dustin Schwartz After Years of Frustration: A New Era Between the Pipes Begins

It’s finally happened. The day many Oilers fans thought might never come. After years of widespread criticism, endless goalie regression, and baffling player development decisions, the Edmonton Oilers have officially parted ways with long-time goaltending coach Dustin Schwartz. For a franchise as historically rich—and at times, heartbreakingly chaotic—as the Oilers, this moment marks more than just a change in staff. It’s a symbolic exhale. A cleansing of a chapter many supporters have long wanted to close.

While we’ll delve into the broader player ins and outs as the 2025-26 preseason approaches, it would be impossible—and disingenuous—not to take a moment to spotlight this monumental organizational shift. Because Schwartz, for all intents and purposes, became emblematic of the Oilers’ inability to develop and support consistent goaltending over the past decade.

Let’s rewind.

Dustin Schwartz was appointed as the Oilers’ goaltending coach in November 2014. At the time, the organization was in a transitional phase, reeling from the post-Tambellini, pre-McDavid era, scrambling for identity and consistency in nearly every department. Schwartz came from the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings, where he had gained a reputation as a solid, innovative coach at the junior level. But the NHL is a different beast, and what followed was a prolonged stretch of mediocrity, inconsistency, and confusion in the crease.

Schwartz outlasted general managers. He outlasted head coaches. He even outlasted entire front office visions. And through it all, one troubling pattern emerged—goalie after goalie came to Edmonton and got worse. Cam Talbot had a short flash of brilliance before plummeting into regression. Mikko Koskinen, despite size and pedigree, never found his rhythm. Mike Smith—at the twilight of his career—was hot one month, unplayable the next. Stuart Skinner has shown promise, but even his development has been riddled with inconsistencies that can’t be ignored.

Time and time again, Oilers fans would look at struggling netminders and wonder: Why do they look lost? Why is their technique unraveling? Why does it seem like there’s no structure to their game? Those questions were asked with increasing urgency, and more often than not, the common denominator was Schwartz.

Criticism from fans is one thing. But the frustration went beyond the bleachers and Twitter threads. Insiders, beat reporters, and even former players began to quietly (and sometimes not-so-quietly) question the long leash Schwartz had been granted. While other teams were investing in data-driven, specialized goalie coaching with rotating consultants and skill developers, the Oilers seemed to stick stubbornly to the status quo. As the league evolved—especially in how it treated goaltending development—the Oilers were stagnant.

To be fair, Schwartz’s defenders have pointed to the difficult goaltending situations Edmonton has faced. Poor defensive structures under multiple coaches. Rushed player development. Big-name goaltenders like Jack Campbell arriving already carrying baggage. But even these defenses feel hollow when juxtaposed with the fact that goalies—across nearly every era of his tenure—looked better before arriving in Edmonton, and often after leaving.

Jack Campbell may be the final, most damning case. Signed to a five-year, $25 million contract, Campbell was envisioned as the long-term solution between the pipes. Instead, he immediately imploded, spiraling so fast and so violently that he spent large chunks of the season in the AHL. Confidence shot. Mechanics a mess. The same could be said about other reclamation projects that fizzled under Schwartz’s watch.

It got to the point where goalie coaching became an annual storyline. Fans stopped asking if goaltenders would regress and began predicting how fast it would happen. That’s not just unfortunate—it’s organizational malpractice.

And yet, for over a decade, Schwartz remained. Even as the team transitioned into a true contender with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in their primes, the goalie coach remained a paradox: untouched, unshaken, unchanged. It became a running joke in Oil Country—Why is this man still here?

No more.

This offseason, amidst a flurry of front-office recalibrations and on-ice retooling, the announcement finally came down: Dustin Schwartz would not return for the 2025-26 season. There was no glowing farewell post. No teary-eyed press conference. Just a quiet, almost clinical removal from the organization’s coaching staff directory.

And that, in many ways, is fitting. Because Schwartz’s tenure was not marked by glory or fond memories. It was marked by confusion, missed opportunities, and a near-complete absence of growth at one of the game’s most critical positions.

This decision signals something bigger than just a coaching change. It suggests the Oilers are finally serious about maximizing their Cup window. It suggests that the voices of the fans—long pleading for accountability—have finally been heard. It suggests that Edmonton understands what has held them back in critical playoff moments isn’t just talent or tactics, but the foundation of development and support behind the scenes.

Who replaces Schwartz is still up for speculation. Perhaps the organization brings in a younger, analytics-savvy goalie coach with experience developing elite prospects. Or maybe they tap into European goaltending minds who’ve been shaping some of the NHL’s most technically sound netminders. Either way, the decision must be deliberate, bold, and reflective of the modern game.

There’s no question the next goalie coach will inherit challenges. Campbell’s future remains uncertain. Skinner is promising but not yet elite. The Oilers are likely to explore the trade and free agency markets again in pursuit of stability in net. But for the first time in over a decade, there’s a sense of possibility. A sense that maybe—just maybe—the structural flaws that have haunted this team are being addressed at the root.

For fans, this is a victory. Not a Stanley Cup parade, but a long-overdue win for reason, accountability, and change. It’s a moment that validates years of frustration, thousands of forum posts, and endless post-game sighs.

And let’s be clear—it’s not personal. No one is dancing on Schwartz’s exit for the sake of cruelty. Coaching at the NHL level is brutal. Every failure is magnified. Every shortcoming dissected. But when nearly every goalie under your care ends up declining, there’s no more room for excuses. The writing was on the wall for years.

The Edmonton Oilers, at long last, decided to read it.

So here we are, on the cusp of a new chapter. The McDavid-Draisaitl era is still in full force. The roster remains among the most talented in the league. And now, finally, the organization has addressed the elephant in the room—a goalie coach whose impact never aligned with the team’s ambition.

Farewell, Dustin Schwartz. Oil Country won’t forget your time here—but they certainly won’t miss it.

Now let’s see what’s next.