Skinner, Pickard partnership in Oilers goal very much a friendship, too

Edmonton Oilers goalies Stuart Skinner, left, and Calvin Pickard celebrate their team's win on May 31, 2024, over the host Dallas Stars in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals. (Julio Cortez/Associated Press)

There's a friendship in the Edmonton Oilers crease.

It was apparent last season after Calvin Pickard joined the National Hockey League team from its affiliate in Bakersfield, with Oilers players speaking highly of the journeyman both as a goalie and as a teammate.

It was apparent this week, too, when starting goalie Stuart Skinner jokingly recounted how Pickard "taught (him) a lot about resiliency on the golf course" before training camp started.

• Visit our Oilers page for the latest stories, videos and more

"Besides that, even just this past week going on the ice with him for a couple of goalie sessions, just the way that we've been able to talk and have some good conversations, with him and (coach Dustin) Schwartz, just about the way that we're starting out already has been amazing," Skinner told media on Wednesday during camp opening-day physicals.

"He's one of the best teammates you'll ever have, and he's been such a good support system for me. Honestly, he's a big brother to me. He takes care of me and the way that we talk, the way that he calls me out at times that are needed, it's exactly what you want out of a partner."

The goalie tandem was tested this past spring when Pickard unexpectedly saw playoff action. In May, Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch sat a slumping Skinner in favour of Pickard to try to spark his team heading into Game 4 of their second-round series against the Vancouver Canucks down two games to one.

Pickard, who came into the previous match – an Oilers loss – in relief of Skinner, made 19 saves as the Oilers tied the series that game.

He started again and played well in a Game 5 loss, and was replaced by Skinner, who found his focus and played a big role in the Oilers' series victory over their Pacific Division rivals in a decidedly fierce seven games.

The team went on to make it to the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers, losing the championship in the last possible game after coming back from being down three games to none.

It didn't take long for Pickard, who had joined the organization in the summer of 2022, to sign up for more.

The Oilers secured the 32-year-old with a two-year contract extension in June worth $1 million per season, just four days after Game 7 of the Cup final.

"We played late, almost the end of June, and we kind of had to act quickly to get a new contract," Pickard said Friday after a training camp session. "That was exciting. I didn't want to be anywhere else. It's a great organization to be a part of."

The biggest part of that, of course, is his partnership with Skinner, in a tandem in which Pickard says it's important "to have a good relationship."

The 10-year pro veteran finished the 2023-24 regular season with a 12-7-1 record, a 2.45 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage over 20 starts, the most he'd logged since he started 48 for the Colorado Avalanche seven years earlier.

"Obviously, both guys need to be playing well," said Pickard.

"I need him to play well. He needs me to play well. We're a good support system for each other. When I'm not playing, I see things a different way when he's playing. That was good throughout the playoffs."