The Edmonton Oilers may be in the market to strengthen their goaltending, and one insider has connected them to an interesting candidate.
Although the Oilers reached the Stanley Cup Final in consecutive seasons, their goaltending has been a weak spot. Both Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard lost the starting role during the playoffs.
Even though both goalies are still under contract for next season, the Oilers are rumored to be exploring other options. NHL analyst Josh Wegman of theScore has suggested Alexandar Georgiev as a potential target for Edmonton.
“Georgiev may have been one of the NHL’s worst goalies last season, but it wasn’t long ago that he posted a .918 save percentage and placed seventh in Vezina Trophy voting,” wrote Wegman. “While a tandem of Georgiev and Stuart Skinner might not inspire much confidence among Oilers fans, Georgiev does bring more potential than Calvin Pickard, who would likely pass through waivers and serve as the team’s third-string goalie. Given Edmonton’s limited options to upgrade in net, taking a chance on Georgiev with a low-cost, one-year contract could be a worthwhile move.”
Georgiev might be the best goaltender currently available, having just finished a three-year, $10.2 million contract. Although he struggled last season, the Russian netminder has shown the ability to perform at a high level when he’s at his best. For Edmonton, he could be a gamble worth taking.
If Georgiev falters, the Oilers could simply demote him to the minors and move forward with Skinner and Pickard. However, with a limited number of quality goaltenders on the market this offseason, a return to his form from two years ago would make Georgiev a potentially huge addition for Edmonton.
Avalanche GM Felt Georgiev Shown Flashes of Being Good
The Colorado Avalanche acquired Georgiev with the intention of making him their starting goaltender, signing him to a three-year contract.
The Russian netminder came with the potential to be a reliable starter, and while he showed flashes of that ability, his inconsistency often made him a liability. Following his trade to the San Jose Sharks, Avalanche GM Chris MacFarland acknowledged that while Georgiev has the talent to be a good goalie, his performance this past season didn’t meet expectations, prompting the decision to move on.
“I think with Georgiev, he’s proven he can be a solid goalie in this league,” said MacFarland. “His win totals over the past few seasons and his playoff performance last year back that up. That said, the numbers are what they are, and we were clearly aware of the issues we had in net early this season.”
- “That was definitely part of it,” MacFarland said. “When one goalie is having a rough stretch, you hope the other can step up and carry the load. It’s tough when both are struggling, and I think that happened at times with Georgiev and Annunen. Still, I believe both are capable and talented goaltenders.”
Splitting time between the Avalanche and Sharks, Georgiev recorded a 15-26-4 record with a 3.71 goals-against average and a .875 save percentage.
