Risky goalie-hunting plan in motion in Edmonton

It seems like Edmonton Oilers general manager Stan Bowman has finally gotten the message. Oilers Now host Bob Stauffer has reported how he knows for a fact that Edmonton intends to address their goaltending in the offseason.

“I know for a fact they’re gonna do that,” Stauffer said, saying the Oilers will bring in a 1B goalie this summer, per David Staples of the Edmonton Journal.

The conversation started off with insider Frank Seravalli noting that starter Stuart Skinner’s inconsistency is the issue.

“I think it’s the inconsistency that drives everyone mad… I think what’s really separating him from being in the upper echelon tier of NHL goalies is just that consistency night in and night out. Not everyone’s going to have it every game. And when you’re starting 53 games, you’re going to have some stinkers, even the very best in the world… But I think that’s the part that everyone struggles with is the back and forth rollercoaster nature (of Skinner).”

Which prompted Stauffer to explain how another goalie needs to come into Edmonton to properly challenged Skinner and Calvin Pickard.

“I do expect Edmonton to engage in signing an organizational number three goalie that’s played in the National Hockey League in the last couple of years,” Stauffer said. “I could see that. I think that market will be there for Edmonton.”

However, Stauffer is clear on how he does not want Skinner to get driven out of Edmonton, only to see him succeed elsewhere with a different contender.

“I’ll tell you what I don’t want to see happen. I don’t want to see Stuart Skinner get run out of here, get re-calibrated with a different organization like Devin Dubnyk was, and be a pretty good starting goalie for five or six years elsewhere.”

But, there is a risk in bringing in another goalie, one who could get re-calibrated himself with the Oilers and steal the starter’s spot…?

At the trade deadline, Edmonton and GM Bowman failed to get a goalie and unfortunately, the aforementioned plan by Stauffer would have made much more sense then for the Oilers…

This risky goalie-hunting plan will unfold this summer where notable netminders could be available on the free agent market, including Frederik Andersen, Vitek Vanecek, Jake Allen, Alexandar Georgiev, Dan Vladar, David Rittich, Ilya Samsonov and Alex Lyon.

At this point in the season, Allen of the New Jersey Devils might be the bets netminder that fits what Edmonton is seeking.