Price to upgrade goaltender could be surprisingly low Edmonton Oilers

While Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard have shown flashes, their inconsistency has left Oilers management questioning whether they can rely on their current tandem.

On a recent segment OilersNation Everyday Podcast, hosts raised the rumours linking Utah Hockey Club's Karel Vejmelka to the Oilers. Given recent goalie trades in the NHL, it's possible he could go for a mid round draft pick.

If you can get Vejmelka at 50% retained for a 4th round pick, which is similar to what the Jake Allen deal was, except Allen had term that was 50% retained. So, a 4th at 50% retained? All day, every day.

One of the most talked about options is Karel Vejmelka of the Utah Hockey Club with a cap hit of $2.25 million that can potentially be reduced to $1.125 million if Utah retains 50%, then Vejmelka could be an affordable option.

Given his solid performance this season, many think trading a third or fourth-round pick for him could be worth the potential add to the Oilers' locker room.

John Gibson of the Anaheim Ducks is another option for the Oilers and John Gibson could thrive in a playoff environment after years of missing the postseason in Anaheim.

His veteran presence and experience would give head coach Kris Knoblauch a dependable 1B option alongside Skinner, which could reduce the workload and prevent burnout.

Beyond Vejmelka and Gibson, other names have surfaced like Jonathan Quick, currently with the New York Rangers, Alex Nedeljkovic of the Pittsburgh Penguins and James Reimer of the Buffalo Sabres are also on the radar.

GM Stan Bowman has shown a willingness to make bold moves and addressing the goaltending issue could be next on his list.

With the playoffs approaching, the Edmonton Oilers needs to find the right goaltender and that could be the key to pushing the Oilers over the top in their pursuit of the Stanley Cup.