Pickard stopped 14 of 15 shots in Saturday's 3-1 win over the Canucks.
The Canucks didn't put up much of a fight, and Pickard stopped everything but a Brock Boeser tally early in the third period. It was a stronger showing than Stuart Skinner's shootout loss to the Flames on Wednesday. Pickard wouldn't have to do much to earn at least a 50-percent share of the starts in the Oilers' crease, and that'll be even easier for him to achieve if Skinner's performance remains mediocre. Head coach Kris Knoblauch hasn't yet named a starter for the first game of the Oilers' upcoming road trip, which is Tuesday against the Rangers.
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Oilers' Calvin Pickard: Gets first start of season
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Pickard will be in the home crease versus Vancouver on Saturday, per Tony Brar of Oilers TV.
Pickard had a good 2024-25 campaign as Edmonton's second backup goalkeeper, going 22-10-1 with a 2.71 GAA and a .900 save percentage across 36 regular-season contests. He could face a battle for a spot on the roster soon, as the Oilers picked up Connor Ingram in a deal with Utah. The Canucks scored five times Thursday in a win over Calgary.
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Oilers' Calvin Pickard: Slated to start Friday
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Pickard is expected to guard the road goal for Friday's preseason game against Vancouver.
Stuart Skinner was originally scheduled to get the nod, but he's battling the flu. Pickard had a 22-10-1 record, 2.71 GAA and .900 save percentage across 36 regular-season outings with Edmonton in 2024-25. The 33-year-old Pickard is projected to open the campaign as the Oilers' No. 2 netminder behind Skinner.
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Oilers' Calvin Pickard: Starting in Seattle
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Pickard will defend the road net against the Kraken on Wednesday, per Tony Brar of Oilers TV.
Pickard earned a 22-10-1 record with a 2.71 GAA and a .900 save percentage across 36 regular-season appearances in 2024-25. If Stuart Skinner continues to have consistency issues, Pickard will remain a fantasy-relevant backup option this campaign.
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Oilers' Calvin Pickard: In goal Friday
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Pickard will get the starting nod at home for Friday's preseason clash against Winnipeg, Tony Brar of Oilers TV reports.
Pickard played in 36 regular-season games for the Oilers last year in which he posted a 22-10-1 record, 2.71 GAA and .900 save percentage. Looking ahead to 2025-26, the 33-year-old netminder is expected to maintain the backup role for Edmonton behind Stuart Skinner but could get some more opportunities down the stretch.
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Oilers' Calvin Pickard: Set to start Tuesday
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Pickard will patrol the road crease in Tuesday's preseason game versus the Jets, Ken Wiebe of The Winnipeg Free Press reports.
Pickard looks set to begin 2025-26 as the backup netminder for the Oilers, though a strong preseason could earn him something closer to a 50-50 split with Stuart Skinner. Pickard went 22-10-1 with a 2.71 GAA and a .900 save percentage in 36 regular-season games last year.
Pickard stopped 14 of 18 shots in Saturday's 5-2 loss to the Panthers in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals. The fifth goal was an empty-netter.
Pickard didn't get any support until the third period, but the Panthers were able to provide answers to both of the Oilers' goals. With Stuart Skinner fading over recent contests, Pickard could have secured the crease with a strong performance Saturday. Instead, after Pickard's first loss in 10 playoff outings (7-1), it's unclear which netminder will be tasked with the start in Game 6 in an attempt to get the Oilers back home for a winner-take-all Game 7.
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Oilers' Calvin Pickard: Facing Panthers in Game 5
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Pickard will patrol the home crease in Game 5 against Florida on Saturday, according to Oilers play-by-play announcer Jack Michaels.
Pickard has posted a 7-0 record with a 2.69 GAA and an .896 save percentage through nine outings this postseason. He has made two straight relief appearances, stopping 29 of 31 shots. After Stuart Skinner got the hook in Game 4 on Thursday, Pickard made 22 saves on 23 shots in a 5-4 overtime victory. With the best-of-seven series tied at 2-2, the winner of Game 5 will hold a substantial advantage in the battle for the Stanley Cup.
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Oilers' Calvin Pickard: Backstops comeback win
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Pickard stopped 22 of 23 shots in relief of Stuart Skinner in Thursday's 5-4 overtime win over the Panthers in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals.
Pickard has made relief appearances in two consecutive games, as Skinner's performance has dropped significantly against the Panthers. Head coach Kris Knoblauch's call to switch goalies at the start of the second period paid off Thursday, with Pickard providing stability between the pipes as the Oilers pulled off a comeback win to tie the series at 2-2. Pickard is 7-0 over nine appearances this postseason while allowing 21 goals on 201 shots for an .896 save percentage. With things trending in Pickard's direction, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the 33-year-old between the pipes for Game 5 in Edmonton on Saturday.
Pickard turned aside seven of the eight shots he faced Monday after replacing Stuart Skinner early in the third period of the Oilers' 6-1 loss to the Panthers in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals.
The game was well out of hand by the time Pickard was brought off the bench, and the one puck to get past him came with Edmonton shorthanded once again -- the third Panthers' power-play tally of the night. Skinner is wilting in the spotlight, posting an .866 save percentage through the first three games of the series, so head coach Kris Knoblauch may have a difficult choice to make when he names his starter for Game 4 on Thursday.
Pickard (lower body) will be the backup goaltender in Tuesday's home matchup versus Dallas in Game 4, Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic reports.
Following a six-game absence, Pickard will return to the lineup as Stuart Skinner's understudy in Game 4. The 33-year-old Pickard has a 6-0 record with a 2.84 GAA and an .888 save percentage across seven appearances this postseason.
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Oilers' Calvin Pickard: Practicing Monday
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Pickard (lower body) took the ice for Monday's practice session, Tony Brar of Oilers TV reports.
Considering this is Pickard's first time on the ice with his teammates, he seems unlikely to dress for Game 4 on Tuesday -- especially with Stuart Skinner playing in peak form -- though Pickard hasn't been officially ruled out. Once the 33-year-old backstop gets the all-clear, he should resume his duties as the No. 2 netminder and could be called upon again if Skinner struggles.
Pickard (undisclosed) won't be available for the start of the Western Conference Finals, Ryan Rishaug of TSN reports Friday.
Based on the timeline for both Pickard and Mattias Ekholm (undisclosed), fantasy players should probably be expecting Pickard to at least miss Games 1 and 2 -- though it could certainly be longer. With the backstop on the shelf, a resurgent Stuart Skinner figures to get the starting nod for those contests. Even if healthy, Pickard may struggle to take back the No. 1 gig after Skinner posted back-to-back shutouts versus the Golden Knights.
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