Why the Edmonton Oilers Must Finally Address Their Goaltending Issues to Take the Next Step Toward Winning the Stanley Cup
The Edmonton Oilers’ 2025 Stanley Cup Playoff run once again ended in heartbreak, and while there were moments of brilliance throughout their postseason, the underlying flaws that have haunted this team for years resurfaced at the worst possible time. One of the most glaring issues—one that fans, analysts, and insiders alike continue to circle back to—is the goaltending situation. For a franchise blessed with generational offensive talent in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, it is baffling how goaltending has remained a constant Achilles’ heel. As the Oilers prepare for another offseason with their championship window wide open, it is imperative that management prioritizes solving the goaltending dilemma once and for all.
Year after year, Edmonton has rolled the dice with short-term answers or hopeful breakouts in net. From Mikko Koskinen to Mike Smith, to Stuart Skinner and Jack Campbell, the Oilers have yet to find a consistently reliable presence between the pipes. Goaltending inconsistencies have repeatedly undermined deep playoff runs, exposed defensive lapses, and drained the confidence of a team that otherwise possesses the firepower to compete with the NHL’s elite. The 2025 postseason was no different.
Stuart Skinner, despite a decent regular season, was exposed again in the playoffs. While his 2024-25 regular season saw solid stretches of play, he was not the difference-maker in net that the Oilers needed when it mattered most. His goals-against average crept higher with each series, and his save percentage dipped at key moments. Backup Calvin Pickard had flashes of competence, even providing a few clutch starts, but he isn’t the long-term solution either. Jack Campbell, once signed with high hopes, spent most of the season in the minors and seems like a sunk cost at this point. It’s painfully obvious that if Edmonton has serious aspirations of hoisting the Stanley Cup, this status quo in net cannot continue.
The Oilers are not short on talent elsewhere. McDavid continues to be the best player on the planet. Draisaitl remains a dominant force, particularly in the playoffs. Zach Hyman had a career year. Evan Bouchard has emerged as an elite offensive defenseman. The forward depth is better than it has been in a decade, and the team is faster, more physical, and more structured defensively than it was five years ago. But no matter how many improvements are made across the board, goaltending continues to be the great equalizer—or, in Edmonton’s case, the great limiter.
The 2025 postseason showed once again that average goaltending won’t cut it against top-tier opponents. The Western Conference is deep, with elite offenses capable of exploiting the slightest weakness. Teams like Colorado, Dallas, and Vancouver all boast strong blue lines and dependable goaltending tandems. Meanwhile, the Oilers often found themselves needing to outscore their problems rather than shutting down games with confidence. That’s a dangerous formula that rarely holds up in the grueling, attritional war that is the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
There’s also the psychological component. When a team doesn’t fully trust its goaltender, players tend to overcompensate. Defensemen hesitate to take chances. Forwards track back deeper than necessary, throwing off breakout timing. Risk-taking decreases, creativity suffers, and a team that should be playing with pace and confidence instead looks tentative and reactive. Edmonton’s top stars have carried heavy burdens for years, often being asked to win games singlehandedly. They’ve done it often enough to stay competitive, but it’s not a sustainable model. Even the most dynamic players need goaltending they can believe in.
Consider what strong goaltending did for other teams. Sergei Bobrovsky turned back the clock for the Florida Panthers en route to back-to-back Cup Final appearances. Jake Oettinger gave Dallas stability, stealing games and allowing their defense-first system to thrive. Igor Shesterkin has been a backbone for the Rangers, while Juuse Saros has kept Nashville relevant despite roster limitations. The Oilers, on the other hand, have struggled to find even league-average consistency in goal, let alone postseason brilliance.
So what are the options? The free agent market isn’t especially deep this summer, but there are potential trade targets. Juuse Saros could be pried loose from Nashville if the price is right. John Gibson remains an intriguing possibility if Edmonton believes he can reclaim past form behind a better team. Boston’s Linus Ullmark is another name that’s popped up in trade discussions and could be a game-changer. Even Carter Hart, pending legal circumstances, has long been linked to Canadian teams. Whatever route the Oilers choose, it must involve bringing in a legitimate starting goaltender who can give them a fighting chance against elite competition.
Ken Holland’s time as GM may be winding down, but his legacy in Edmonton could hinge on what happens this offseason. If he fails to address goaltending again, he’ll be remembered as the executive who couldn’t build a complete team around McDavid and Draisaitl. On the other hand, if he swings for the fences and lands a top-tier netminder, he could give this group the final piece it needs to finally break through. It’s not hyperbole to say that the next move in goal could determine whether or not McDavid ever wins a Stanley Cup in Edmonton.
The salary cap, of course, is always a factor, but the Oilers must find a way. Whether it’s through creative trades, moving out underperforming contracts (like Campbell’s), or biting the bullet on a buyout, this can’t be the offseason where they play it safe. The front office has to think aggressively and act decisively. The goaltending issue is not going away by hoping Skinner makes the leap or Campbell rebounds. The sample size is large enough to show that neither option is a reliable path forward.
Moreover, inaction could have broader consequences. Leon Draisaitl is entering the final year of his contract. If the Oilers don’t demonstrate their seriousness about winning now, there’s no guarantee he re-signs. Even McDavid, whose loyalty to Edmonton has been steadfast, may eventually grow frustrated if year after year ends the same way. These are legacy players, and Edmonton is fortunate to have them. The franchise owes it to them—and to its fanbase—to stop wasting their primes.
The 2025 offseason presents an inflection point for the Oilers. After years of scoring highlight-reel goals, generating MVP campaigns, and fighting through adversity, McDavid and company are still chasing the Cup. They’ve been close—very close—but always a step behind. And that step almost always traces back to the crease. Enough is enough.
No team wins a Stanley Cup without strong goaltending. It’s not a luxury; it’s a requirement. And for Edmonton, it’s the missing link. The offense is there. The defense has improved. The coaching staff has instilled a better structure. The fans are as passionate as ever. All that’s left is the goaltender who can take them across the finish line.
This summer must be different. No more hoping. No more betting on potential. No more second chances. The Oilers must go out and acquire a goaltender who can steal a game, close out a series, and carry the weight of championship expectations. Only then can Edmonton transform from contender to champion. Only then can the city finally raise the Stanley Cup again.
