The Edmonton Oilers are reportedly closing in on an extension for backup goaltender Calvin Pickard. According to analyst Kevin Weekes, the deal will be for two years, but a dollar figure was not revealed. Frank Seravalli later reported the contract is worth $1 million per season.
Pickard played 23 regular season games for the Oilers and had a .909 save percentage and 2.45 goals against average. He added three games in the playoffs (his first playoff games ever) and posted a .915 save percentage and 2.21 goals against.
Pickard was one of the surprise stories for the Oilers this season in a fantastic run to the Stanley Cup Final. He came on in relief when Jack Campbell was demoted to the minors and Pickard played superbly, despite not having a ton of reps. He would sit for weeks at a time and come in with a strong performance, giving starter Stuart Skinner the rest he needed.
During an interview earlier in the season, Pickard expressed gratitude for the opportunity to revive his NHL career with the Oilers. He’s a well-traveled and respected player and he was ready to contribute in any role. This is a wise signing by Edmonton, especially as they plan to move on from Campbell.
It’s not expected this will cost the Oilers much in terms of a cap hit, which is important as they work through a number of pending UFA negotiations and try to save as much money with bonuses hitting the team this season.
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