Edmonton Oilers coach gives bad news injury update on Calvin Pickard
The Edmonton Oilers are gonna have to keep on rolling with Stuart Skinner between the pipes.
If you phrased it like that to an Oilers fan at the beginning of the playoffs, it would probably draw up all sorts of confusion. Skinner was Edmonton’s starter all season long and started the 2025 postseason in that position as well. Yet, as the team enters Game 4 of their second-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights, that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Journeyman backup Calvin Pickard has taken away that starter’s job from Skinner, having gotten the nod in six of the team’s nine playoff games this year, and the results have been great. The veteran netminder is currently on a six-game win streak and is the only undefeated goalie left in the playoffs.
But an injury has knocked him out of the lineup and Skinner back into the spotlight. Pickard already missed Game 3 of this series and, according to head coach Kris Knoblauch, he will not be playing in Game 4 on Monday night as well.
“Calvin is day-to-day, he will not play tomorrow,” Knoblauch told reporters on Sunday morning.
"Whatever happened the night before, whether it was a win, a loss, you just have to put that aside & get ready for the next game. You're playing the same opponent night after night."
Coach Knoblauch on the #Oilers moving forward.@Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/4DGZY0F3KO
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) May 11, 2025
The injury would appear to stem from a collision between Pickard and Vegas forward Tomas Hertl in the third period of Game 2. Pickard was seen shaking his leg after the collision before allowing Vegas to tie up the game. He remained on the ice for the remainder of regulation and overtime.
ESPN is talking about Pickard potentially being hurt after Hertl fell on his leg in the third#LetsGoOilers | #VegasBorn pic.twitter.com/p9RpwtuYp4
— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) May 9, 2025
Skinner continued to struggle in his first playoff start since Game 2 against the LA Kings, which was just over two weeks ago. He allowed four goals on 20 shots, including the game-winner that came off the stick of Vegas forward Reilly Smith with under a second left in regulation.
The Edmonton native ended the night with an .833 SV%, which is surprisingly his best outing in the playoffs thus far. Skinner ranks last in the playoffs when it comes to save percentage and goals-against average.
Knoblauch commented on Skinner’s play, where he gave him a vote of confidence heading into an all-important Game 4.
“I think Stuart has made some really big saves, especially in the third period,” Knoblauch said. “We just need to be better in front of him.”
There is not a lot of runway for Skinner to regain form, as another poor performance could mean that the series is tied 2-2 heading back to Vegas for a decisive Game 5. As long as Pickard is sidelined, it will be up to Stu to figure things out between the Edmonton pipes.