The Edmonton Oilers are in good hands with Stan Bowman as the general manager, but something still has to be done with the goaltending. If the Oilers made no changes in net from now until the start of the 2025-26 season, this would be the third full season the team would have Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard sharing the net. While the Oilers have gone to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals, goaltending has arguably cost them the chance to actually win, or at the very least, made it very difficult.
The present and future have to be set up properly as the forwards and defense are carrying the Oilers. Former Oilers goalie Devan Dubnyk spoke on the goaltending situation of Edmonton and said, when you’re in win-now mode, it’s not the time to gamble on an unproven goalie. That is exactly what happened with Stuart Skinner when Jack Campbell didn’t pan out right off the bat. But in this case, the goalie prospect very likely wouldn’t have to step in and start 48 games after hardly appearing in the NHL like Skinner. Skinner would still be on the team, the Oilers would likely still have Calvin Pickard, and Connor Ingram, at the very least, is a third option if the top prospect really needs to go back to the AHL and develop a little more.
Dubnyk also noted that he wouldn’t rule out a trade, but it would be something more of a top prospect to go in their system as the third string goalie. Someone like Pickard being there gives the Oilers the ability to mix said prospect into action and get him prepared for the NHL with less pressure.
Oilers Getting Younger & Need a Clear Path in Net
Bowman has had his eye on young players that can come in and make an impact now. The Oilers already upgraded to an NHL-ready Isaac Howard from Sam O’Reilly, who I presume is two years out from entering the NHL. This came in an earlier offseason trade made with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The same goes with swapping Ryan McLeod for a younger Matt Savoie in the 2024 offseason or acquiring a 23-year-old Vasily Podkolzin for cheap last summer as well.
Bowman has not been shy about the need for the Oilers to get younger and extend the Cup window. There were too many veteran additions last season that didn’t pan out. The core pieces can carry the load while the youth fills in and grows. That will be the case for at least three young forwards this season, so why not with their future netminder as well?
There are no future options in the Oilers system in net. Past and current general managers made sure of that. But Bowman hasn’t given Oilers fans or management any reason not to trust his moves thus far.
Many Hints Point the Oilers to Red Wings’ Cossa
There are plenty of signs that hint at the Oilers going after Sebastian Cossa from the Detroit Red Wings. According to Cam Robinson of Elite Prospects, the Oilers reached out to the Red Wings about Trey Augustine, but he was a non-starter in trade conversations. He is considered by many to be the Red Wings’ top goalie prospect, just ahead of Cossa, who is more NHL-ready and a bit older than Augustine. That leads us to believe that if Augustine won’t be moved, Cossa can be.
Elite Prospects ranked the top-20 goalie prospects and Cossa appeared at number four, not surprisingly right behind Augustine at number three. Cossa has played one NHL game and it came last season, but is still exempt from waivers and doesn’t have to be in the NHL this coming season.
Bob Stauffer of Oilers Now hinted at two specific things that directed us at the Oilers’ interest in Cossa now. He said Edmonton is looking at a goalie “who hasn’t gained a lot of traction” with his current team/organization and has a connection to Edmonton. Cossa played for the Edmonton Oil Kings in junior. Stauffer also noted that the goalie is on a team with “another really good goaltending prospect.”
In terms of the mention that the team has another really good goaltending prospect, that doesn’t narrow it right now to just Cossa and the Red Wings. The Los Angeles Kings have Carter Goerge, ranked fifth by Elite Prospects, Hampton Slukynshy, ranked ninth, and Erik Portillo, who did have a decline in his second AHL season, but had a stellar first NHL game. The San Jose Sharks also have the top ranked goalie prospect in Yaroslav Askarov with Joshua Ravensbergen ranked seventh. The last team to take note of with multiple top goalie prospects is the Ottawa Senators. Like Askarov, who will be in the NHL this coming season, the Senators have Leevi Merilainen, who will be the backup in the NHL, while also having Lucas Beckam and Mads Sogaard.
There just isn’t room or a logical way that Cossa wins the backup job in Detroit over Cam Talbot, who was 21-19-5 in 43 starts and 47 games last season with a .901 SV% and 12.8 goals saved above expected. He may be 38 years old, but Talbot is under contract for next year at $2.5 million AAV and he isn’t going to be overtaken by Cossa.
Beyond next season is a different conversation, but Cossa will be in the mix if or when John Gibson gets injured. According to the Grand Rapids Griffins head coach Dan Watson, he thinks Cossa could take the backup role, stating, “he’s committed, dedicated, he wants to get better, he wants to be the guy, whether it’s in Grand Rapids, I know he’s going to be challenging mentally for a spot in Detroit.”
The Red Wings don’t have to urgently move Cossa, but the Oilers are the team that is more desperate to find someone to help in net, even if he isn’t ready for a full time workload in the NHL. Edmonton hasn’t been quiet this offseason, which is a good sign, and there is still plenty of time for Cossa to eventually be acquired by the Oilers, even at a high price.
Oilers Have Every Reason to Target Red Wings’ Goalie Prospect