Stan Bowman doesn’t duck tough questions, and this one’s been hanging over the Edmonton Oilers for years. The Oilers need to know who’s really going to step up in net. Is Stuart Skinner ready to be the guy every night, or is Calvin Pickard just holding the spot until someone else shows up? For a club looking at another run for the Stanley Cup, that’s a lot of uncertainty to carry into the 2025-26 campaign.
Could the Edmonton Oilers Trade for Goaltending Help Before Opening Night?
There’s already plenty of noise around the front office, with some fans and insiders asking if Bowman will address goaltending now rather than waiting until things start to unravel. Bowman has tweaked rosters in late August before, and chatter is picking up that another move might be coming before the puck drops on the new season.
Waiting until the trade deadline usually means paying way above market price, especially for goalies. Edmonton has seen those price tags jump in past years. This time, the smarter play might be to address the problem early, while there are still some bargains out there.
One name keeps rolling through rumor mills: a goaltender who just wrapped up a standout year in the AHL, ranking near the top across several stats. Scouts praise his quickness and progress.
Despite the buzz surrounding him, his current NHL club is full in the crease, so a trade seems like his best shot at starting.
That goalie is Boston’s Michael DiPietro. At age 26, he’s locked up for two more years at a very manageable $1.625 million. Boston has Jeremy Swayman locked in as the starter and recently brought in Joonas Korpisalo, leaving DiPietro as the odd man out despite posting a sparkling record with Providence last year.
For Edmonton, his appeal makes sense. DiPietro wouldn’t cost a premium asset, maybe a mid-round pick, and would add some competition in net without shaking up the main roster.
The Athletic’s Allan Mitchell summed it up: “Value deals await at the deadline for a team that can identify inexpensive talent. The best inexpensive goaltender available is Michael DiPietro of the Boston Bruins.”
He’s only appeared in three NHL games, but his stock is rising. Edmonton doesn’t have room to chase a high-priced veteran, so this is exactly the kind of move that fits their current outlook.
READ MORE: WILL THE OILERS SWING FOR THE FENCES TO FILL THEIR ROSTER?
“The deadline may or may not change anything on the goaltender front, and a value deal may not be available,” Mitchell said.
How Will a Cap Crunch Change the Oilers’ Goalie Options?
One thing hasn’t changed: the Oilers’ biggest contracts are eating up most of the cap. Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard, and Darnell Nurse are claiming nearly half that salary pie. This puts extra pressure on Bowman to hunt for affordable pieces elsewhere.
Players like Brett Kulak, Matt Savoie, and Ike Howard help keep the roster filled out, but none of them is a fix for the goaltending challenge.
Bringing in DiPietro wouldn’t mark a massive change, but it adds support behind Skinner and could prevent another disappointing exit in the playoffs. Around the league, more teams are betting on younger, cheaper goalies instead of spending big on aging veterans. Edmonton looks ready to do the same.
Mitchell added, “Bowman might be wise to try to deal for DiPietro now and use the deadline to acquire a player in a situation similar to Hanifin in 2024. The cap goes up a year from now, but value contracts will never go out of style.”
Bowman doesn’t mind making late-summer changes. Last year, he picked up Vasily Podkolzin and Ty Emberson in August, then later claimed Kasperi Kapanen and Alec Regula off waivers. He isn’t afraid to move quickly if needed.
Of course, it’s still a risk. DiPietro hasn’t been tested much at the top level. Still, for a team trying to win right now, taking a chance on some upside at a decent price might be the move that keeps Edmonton’s window for a Cup run open a little longer.