EDMONTON – Hockey is a simple game.
Despite the simplicity of the game, the Edmonton Oilers should be praised for their accomplishment of back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances.
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Stan Bowman has done well this offseason. He had the directive to put together a faster and younger forward group. He also saw the goaltending position needing an adjustment.
Hockey is about scoring goals and stopping goals. Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Evan Bouchard do pretty well with the former but can only do so much with the latter.
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That’s where the goalies come in.
The organization has experienced turnover at most of its levels this offseason. With all of the departures in mind, here is what the goalie depth chart looks like for the 2025-26 season at the ECHL, AHL, and NHL levels.
ECHL
Connor Ungar
Connor Ungar is heading into the second year of his two-year ELC contract that he signed with the Oilers last year. During the 2024-25 season, he spent the entire year playing for the Oilers’ ECHL affiliate, the Fort Wayne Komets.
In 35 games, he had a record of 19-12-4, a 2.74 goals against average (GAA), a .903 save percentage (SV%), and three shutouts. Ungar should be a lock to play in the ECHL once again this year.
Nathaniel Day
Nathaniel Day got a cup of coffee in the ECHL last season. After finishing up his year with the Flint Firebirds of the OHL, he started in three regular season games for the Komets. Day was tremendous in that audition, boasting a 2-0-0 record, 0.43 GAA, a .981 SV%, and two shutouts.
The Komets made the playoffs, and Day continued to put up good numbers (2.17 GAA, .914 SV%). With Brett Brochu headed overseas, the Komets will likely run a Day and Ungar duo for their goaltenders this year.
AHL
Matt Tomkins
One of the July 1st signings this summer has been bringing in veteran Matt Tomkins. He signed a two-year deal with a $450,000 guaranteed salary in year two. That suggests the Oilers see him as exclusively an AHL goaltender for his contract.
For the 2024-25 season, Tomkins played 26 games for the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch. He boasted a 12-10-3 record, a 2.55 GAA, a .907 SV%, and three shutouts.
The Edmonton-born, Chicago Blackhawks-drafted goalie should bring stability in net to the organization’s AHL team, the Bakersfield Condors.
Samuel Jonsson
Many Oilers fans are watching Samuel Jonsson with a keen eye. He had a tremendous season for Bofors IK of the Hockey Allsvenskan in Sweden. He was named goalie of the year after putting together a 17-6 record, 1.88 GAA, a .922 SV%, and six shutouts in 24 games.
Jonsson signed his ELC with the Oilers this past April. That gives the Oilers the ability to have the 6-foot-5 netminder play with the Condors this season. However, they do have the ability to send him back to Sweden, should something be agreed upon between the organization and the player’s representation.
Fans of the Oilers might not discover where Jonsson will play this year until September or October. His deployment may rely on whether the Oilers acquire another goalie or not. If they trade out one of their goalies for another goalie, or run the same tandem they did last season, then it’s likely Jonsson plays in the AHL.
However, if the Oilers trade for a goalie without sending a goalie back, or if they sign another available free agent, then it’s likely that Jonsson plays in Sweden for the 2025-26 season.
One way or another, the Oilers will run a new tandem with the Condors as Colin Delia, Olivier Rodrigue, and Brochu have all moved on from the organization.
NHL
Calvin Pickard
Calvin Pickard had a solid season with the Oilers. There were a few stretches where he had to fill in for an injured Stuart Skinner. The veteran backup performed admirably in those situations.
Pickard is entering the last year of his contract with the Oilers. He played the second-most games of his career this past season (36) while achieving a career-high in wins (22). He’s found a role and a place within the organization where he can add value.
The goaltending situation is up in the air right now. Pickard could either spend 2025-26 in the AHL, in another NHL organization, or with the Oilers again. Time will truly tell.
Stuart Skinner
Skinner has been the Oilers' starting goaltender for the last two seasons. However, his best season since turning pro came when he began the year as Jack Campbell’s backup.
Skinner’s future with the team may appear uncertain. The two options the Oilers have for their 26-year-old netminder are to trade him or keep him.
Organizations don’t trade away a 26-year-old goalie who has made it to the Stanley Cup Final in back-to-back seasons. Especially one with Skinner’s cap hit ($2.6 million).
The Oilers’ goalie depth chart appears set for the upcoming season. Barring another free agent signing or trade that shakes up the NHL & AHL ranks, this is what the Oilers are working with in 2025-26.
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