Calvin Pickard News

After winning eight straight, the Oilers have suddenly lost three in a row, being outscored 15-6, and will turn to Pickard on the front end of a back-to-back on Thursday to try and stop the bleeding. Pickard has four appearances with the Oilers this season, most recently allowing five goals on 39 shots (.872 SV%) in a 5-1 loss to the Florida Panthers on December 16th. The Oilers will face off against a New Jersey Devils team also in a skid, being outscored 8-3 over their last two contests (0-1-1).

Pickard has 116 NHL games under his belt but will receive his first start at the NHL level since the 2021-22 season when he was a member of the Detroit Red Wings. Jack Campbell's reassignment earlier this month triggered Pickard's call-up from Bakersfield (AHL), where he posted a sensational 2.03 GAA and .939 SV% in four games (2-2-0). Pickard will have his work cut out for him in his return to NHL action as the Oilers face off against a Florida Panthers team that has won six of their past seven contests (6-1-0).

Jack Campbell cleared waivers earlier on Wednesday, allowing the Oilers to recall Pickard from the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL. Pickard has not played at the NHL level since a three-game stint with the Detroit Red Wings in the 2021-22 season. The 31-year-old journeyman goaltender has been lights out with the Condors this season, posting a 2.03 GAA and .939 SV% in four games (2-2-0). Stuart Skinner is expected to take priority in the starters crease for the Oilers but after a dreadful 2-8-1 start to the season, the slightest misstep could potentially give Pickard a route to seeing game action.

Pickard was 5-3-1 with a 2.89 GAA and .909 SV% for Bakersfield (AHL) but has been recalled by Edmonton on Tuesday. Pickard is filling in for Stuart Skinner, who stepped away from the team for the birth of his first child.

Pickard has appeared in 116 career NHL games with five different teams since 2015, going 35-54-19 with a 3.03 GAA and .903 SV%. In 2022, he spent most of the year in the AHL, going 21-16-5 with a 2.58 GAA and .918 SV% with Grand Rapids. He'll likely replace Stuart Skinner in Bakersfield.

Alex Nedeljkovic was added to COVID-19 protocol so Pickard is expected to serve as Thomas Greiss' backup on Saturday. Pickard has gone 9-7-2 with a 2.47 GAA and .926 SV% in 19 AHL games this season.

Pickard has been returned to the AHL to make room for Jonathan Bernier to be activated from IR. Pickard is 14-9-3 with a 2.87 GAA and .903 SV% in 26 AHL games this season.

Jonathan Bernier is not on the ice for warmups, so Pickard has re-joined the Red Wings and will be Howard's backup vs. the Sabres.

With Jonathan Bernier returning to the crease last night, Pickard was the No.3 goalie on the Red Wings roster. So he returns to the AHL, where he is 9-7-3 with a 3.03 GAA and .893 SV% in 19 games this season.