Calvin Pickard was back on the ice with the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday. After taking a bump in a preseason game and being held out for precautionary reasons, he won’t miss any regular season action and will potentially get into the net Friday, as the Oilers take on the Vancouver Canucks.
While speaking with the media on Wednesday, Pickard said he’s in a good space mentally, feels ready to go, and hopes to play a lot more this season.
He said he’d like to get into at least one of the final two preseason games and said, “In a perfect world I’d like to play all the time.”
Pickard played 23 games for the Oilers in 2023-24 and showed that he’s more than capable of playing well in limited minutes and with gaps between starts. This season, the Oilers are hoping that the goaltenders can split more games and the team can give starter Stuart Skinner a bit more rest throughout the season. Managing minutes will be key for ensuring no one is tired heading into the playoffs.
“Reps are important,” Pickard said and the Oilers invested a couple of million bucks into a new two-year deal to ensure Pickard gets those reps.
This is a goaltender who wants to show he’s capable of more. While he’s comfortable in his role and knows that the Oilers have a potential stud in Skinner, this might be the season Pickard shows he’s capable and taking on bigger minutes and more responsibility. That he’s healthy and ready to go is the first step in doing so.
The Oilers take on the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday night. Pickard won’t be in the lineup, but he could be given the start on Friday versus the Canucks.
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