The Edmonton Oilers opened their season with more questions than answers, particularly in goal, as their performances have swung from confident, structured hockey to long nights spent chasing the puck. That contrast has pushed every position under scrutiny, and none more than the crease, where inconsistency has become a defining theme.

As Edmonton heads into a difficult matchup against the Dallas Stars on Nov. 25 at 9:00 PM ET, the timing feels important. Goaltending has shaped the tone of their season, and the conversation around how to fix it is now louder than the results themselves. The question is no longer whether the Oilers have an issue in net, but how quickly they can find a solution.

Are the Oilers Ready to Commit to a Goaltending Solution?

NHL Trade Rumors have turned their attention to this very point, with growing speculation about whether Edmonton is finally ready to commit to a meaningful change. Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard have shared the workload, yet neither has provided the level of reliability expected from a team with playoff ambitions.

Skinner continues to battle through stretches of uneven play, and Pickard’s rough start has made it hard for the coaching staff to lean on him with confidence. With the team sitting at 10-9-5, internal patience is wearing thin, and the search for stability is becoming urgent.

That frustration has added momentum to league-wide discussions. The conversation sharpened when David Pagnotta offered insight into Edmonton’s approach, suggesting that the biggest decisions may come later.

He said, “The answer I give is, wait ’til the summer, I’m expecting the Oilers to be very, very aggressive in the offseason.”

Pagnotta’s comment reinforced the belief that Edmonton may wait for more cap flexibility before making a major move.

In the meantime, the Oilers have been linked to teams with crowded goalie depth, hoping to uncover an undervalued option who can consistently fill the position in the short term without forcing them into a costly trade. These ideas are measured rather than bold, built around the hope of finding someone who can calm things down enough to keep the team competitive until a long-term answer becomes possible.

READ MORE: NHL Rumors: Oilers HC Kris Knoblauch Warned To Watch His Back

This season has shown that Edmonton doesn’t need elite goaltending to compete. They simply need predictability. Their best runs have come when Skinner looks settled, and their toughest losses have often followed nights where the crease became a problem the skaters could not overcome. That reality now leaves the front office facing a choice that will shape the rest of their season. They can hope for internal improvement, or they can act before the standings tighten any further.

Their next opponent highlights that contrast. Dallas enters the matchup with a 13-5-4 record and strong play in goal from Jake Oettinger and Casey DeSmith.

As the Oilers step into that challenge, the most important storyline remains clear. The decision on how to address their goaltending is becoming less a matter of if and more a matter of when.