The Edmonton Oilers’ playoff run ended earlier than expected, a surprising outcome given that Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl were leading the charge. Still, the result becomes easier to understand when you look past the top line, because hockey demands a full team effort, and that balance was missing.
Edmonton fell 5-2 to the Anaheim Ducks in Game 6, and the issues were hard to ignore. Their goaltending was the biggest concern, especially in a game that slipped away early.
Oilers’ Goaltending Decline Hits Lowest Point In 2026 Playoffs
Connor Ingram and Tristan Jarry had the responsibility to help the team in net, but they failed to do so. Those gaps became clear in a must-win playoff situation, as the Ducks built an early 3-1 lead, scoring 20 goals in that span.
Ingram handled most of the workload, starting 5 of 6 games, but his 3.86 goals-against average and .876 save percentage show how difficult the stretch became. He faced constant pressure, often dealing with traffic and second chances that the defense failed to clear. Jarry, brought in to steady the position, did not provide the expected lift and allowed 4 goals in his only start.
The deciding Game 6 followed a familiar pattern. Edmonton fell behind early, struggled to regain structure, and never found control. Loose coverage in front of the net became the problem, leaving Ingram exposed. Those breakdowns forced the team into a reactive style, which played into Anaheim’s pace.
NHL writer Michael Amato highlighted a broader trend that extends beyond this series. He wrote on X, “I’m not even sure how they’ve done it because it’s been such a low bar, but somehow the Oilers goaltending has managed to get significantly worse in each of the past three postseasons: 2024 – .902, 2025 – .888, 2026 – .867.”
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This drop becomes more concerning when placed alongside Edmonton’s style of play. The team often generates strong offensive pressure but allows high-danger chances against, leaving little margin for error. Without reliable saves in key moments, those chances have consistently turned into goals, limiting the team’s ability to recover.
The midseason move for Jarry, which included sending out Stuart Skinner and Brett Kulak, was meant to address this issue. Instead, the change failed to deliver the expected results, and the team’s overall save rate continued to fall.
With McDavid and Draisaitl still in their prime, the focus now turns to how the organization responds. The need for a dependable presence in goal remains clear, as the current trajectory has left the team searching for answers heading into the 2026 offseason.
