Stan Bowman's Goaltending Decision Could Cost Oilers Playoff Hopes

The Edmonton Oilers' general manager's decision not to address goaltending at the NHL Trade Deadline could prove costly.

Mar 2, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Team North America associate general manager Stan Bowman speaks to media during a press conference for the upcoming 2016 World Cup of Hockey at Intercontinental Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

The Edmonton Oilers dropped another game recently as they lost 6-3 to the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Oilers have now dropped 5 of their last 7 games, but the big theme in those games that they dropped is that their goaltending has not been nearly good enough.

Goaltenders Tristan Jarry and Connor Ingram are not getting the job done for the Oilers, and Jarry allowed 5 goals on 31 shots in the loss to the Hurricanes. Ever since Bowman decided to make a trade for Jarry earlier in the season, it has not gone the way that he had expected.

Feb 4, 2026; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers goaltender Tristan Jarry (35) during the second period against the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images | Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

That fact that Bowman has superstars Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Zach Hyman, and Evan Bouchard and chose not to try to help them and leave his goaltending the same at the deadline, says a lot about how the Oilers' season is going in the second half of the year. The Oilers could be in serious danger of missing the postseason.

The Oilers were recently jumped in the Pacific Division standings by the Anaheim Ducks, and both the Seattle Kraken and San Jose Sharks are currently not far behind as well. The Oilers have not been able to stack points lately because their goaltending has not been nearly good enough, and Bowman not addressing it is a huge problem.

McDavid and the usual suspects will have to carry the goaltending into the playoffs at this rate

With the unfortunate reality that the Oilers do not have reliable goaltending with the playoffs coming up in the middle of April, the superstars are going to have to get them there. There is no scenario that Jarry and Ingram are going to steal games and get Edmonton into the postseason.

Bowman did not do enough to help his team at the deadline because of how bad their goaltending has been. Bowman did add Jason Dickinson and Connor Murphy from the Chicago Blackhawks in trades, but a forward and defenseman does not help the goaltending problem.

Bowman already should have been fired when he made the Jarry trade because he had to have been warned ahead of time by Penguins brass that it was going to be a regret. And look at how the Oilers are constructed now and how their goaltending is losing them games.

It is going to be an uphill battle for the Oilers as the Ducks, Sharks, Golden Knights, and Seattle Kraken all got better at the deadline. Edmonton did what they could to get better but chose not to address the position that is letting them down the most and it could be a problem.

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