The Edmonton Oilers haven’t opened the season the way they hoped. With an 8-7-4, they’re still trying to find consistency and currently sit fourth in the Pacific Division.
Goaltending has been one of the biggest storylines so far. Both Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard have struggled to deliver the starts the team expected. As the Oilers sought ways to improve their roster in the offseason, one name that surfaced as a potential trade target was John Gibson, until he ultimately rejected the move.
Why Did John Gibson Turn Down a Trade to the Oilers?
Gibson was later traded to the Detroit Red Wings by the Anaheim Ducks in July. He is now in the seventh year of his eight-year, $51.2 million contract.
Speaking on the “Oilers Now” podcast, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman explained why the Oilers’ pursuit of Gibson didn’t go anywhere. “I talked about Gibson and I think one of the issues was that they wanted Gibson to split the job with Skinner; that wasn’t what Gibson wanted to do,” he said.
Friedman also noted that Oilers GM Stan Bowman has been exploring every possible angle to improve the roster. He said Bowman’s approach is to find a move that clearly makes the team better for the price required, and that so far, nothing available has convinced him it’s worth the cost. “For the trade that he (Bowman) think he can make for a goalie, he doesn’t think it’s worth it,” Friedman said.
Friedman also defended the Oilers’ current goaltenders, saying the blame shouldn’t rest solely on them but on the team as a whole. “The one thing I think is a little bit unfair, though, lately, like the goaltending is getting a lot of heat,” he added. “I know the goaltender is a flash point there, I get it, that’s fine.”
He pointed out that opponents are getting high-quality chances far too easily, adding that while the goalies do need to make big saves at key moments, the team in front of them hasn’t been strong enough defensively. “You need a goalie to make a save that you’re not expecting, that’s true. Some nights they’re not very good, that’s true… I don’t think the team in front of them is very good,” Friedman pointed out.
The Oilers are coming off a 5–4 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets and will look to rebound on Saturday when they take on the Carolina Hurricanes on the road.
