Calvin Pickard helped backstop the Edmonton Oilers to a solid 4-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken last night, but his backup got some attention as well.
The Oilers were without their usual starting goaltender as Stuart Skinner welcomed in his second child with his wife Chloe earlier in the day. With no time to call up a goalie from the AHL, the team opted to sign University of Alberta netminder Tyler Palmer to an ATO to serve as the backup.
The 21-year-old may not have gotten any real NHL action, but Pickard told reporters after the game that he was impressed with the youngster.
“I wouldn’t rule [playing in the NHL] out, I saw him in warmups today, he was dialled in, he looked really good,” Pickard said. “Great kid, awesome to have him… A cool experience for him tonight and he’s 1-0.”
“Good soccer player actually, before the game too.”
“Nice playing behind such a good team, a team that knows how to win, expects to win every single night & I just have to go out there & do my job & trust that my teammates will do theirs.”
Calvin Pickard on going 9-1 over his last 10 games.@Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/QO5YiEfr5l
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) January 28, 2025
It wasn’t quite the type of game that Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch could justify putting Palmer in for the dying minutes. Fans might remember that ex-Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft did just that with EBUG Matt Berlin in a 7-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks back in 2023.
Last night’s game was a bit closer and though the team got an empty-netter to give them some insurance, Knoblauch said he wasn’t looking over at Palmer.
“Goaltending is not my area to give advice to,” Knoblauch said with a smile. “There wasn’t [any thought to put him in], Picks was well-rested, he was good to finish the game.”
“During that time if you look at how good our special teams are & then the other one is goaltending… But then also your best players putting up the numbers they have.”
Coach Knoblauch on the #Oilers going 22-6-1 over their last 29 games. @Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/nwYgOYUCJr
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) January 28, 2025
That is probably fine in Palmer’s book as he still had an experience he’ll never forget, having shared a bench with some of the world’s finest hockey players in both Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
Though he didn’t have the matching equipment for his NHL debut, you can’t deny that there is something about the Golden Bears’ green and yellow that somehow goes with the Oilers’ orange and blue colour scheme.
It made for quite a good-looking tandem for Edmonton.
Tonight’s winning tandem 🤝 #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/jpqvj1BYY5
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) January 28, 2025
Palmer will now likely head back to the University of Alberta with Skinner set to return to the Oilers as a new father of two. This experience should give him infinite bragging rights amongst every team is plays on from here on.