Wild goalie Calvin Pickard takes a look back on return to Edmonton

As Calvin Pickard’s lengthy welcome back Q & A with a group of local reporters was ending Tuesday morning, a member of the Minnesota Wild training staff ambled by.

“You dropping the (ceremonial) puck tonight?” he joked.

Uh, no. But the Edmonton Oilers do plan on a video tribute on the big scoreboard for Pickard early in the game to say thank you to their former goalie who was hugely popular in his three years here, with his teammates and in OilerNation.

The Oilers have taken to not honouring every player who returns to Rogers Place for the first time after moving on — they acknowledge them on camera but don’t go the extra mile with a look back in video — but Pickard’s sterling work during their two runs to the Stanley Cup Final in 2024 and 2025 will always be greatly appreciated and remembered by this organization.

“Just so weird walking past” the Oilers room, admitted Pickard.

As it should be. Pickard, 34, currently the backup to the Wild’s Jesper Wallstedt after signing a one-year, one-way $1-million deal in July, has been one of the NHL’s Have Pads Will Travel goalies through his pro career. Never in one place too long. The Wild are his 12th pro team, his seventh stop in a 192-game NHL resume — Colorado, Toronto, Philadelphia, Arizona, Detroit, Edmonton and now Minnesota.

The playoff heroics and the red-hot focus at that time of year from the Oilers fan base made it seem like Pickard was here much longer than he actually was. “I wasn’t here that many games but it seemed longer. I’ve bounced around a lot. Definitely the most stability I’ve had in my career,” said Pickard, who watched as Wallstedt got the start against the Oilers.

He played 72 regular-season games for Oilers, going 39-23-4.

He had 10 more games in the playoffs. He was 8-2 in the post-season, 7-1 in 2025, winning six straight that spring, taking over for starter Stuart Skinner. He won the last four games of the 2025 first-round series against Los Angeles after the Oilers had dropped the first two, then two more in Round 2 against Vegas, before Tomas Hertl fell on him in the crease. Pickard tore a muscle in his calf and sprained his ankle, same leg.

“The playoff runs were special, back-to-back years go to the finals. Lots of good memories, lots of good teammates and staff. Most fun I’ve had in my career to date. Some lifelong relationships,” said Pickard.

Pickard was signed by the Wild as insurance/depth in July with Filip Gustavsson having hip surgery in May and likely out until November. At the worst, he will be their third goalie in the organization, always on call, or at best, like today, hanging around NHL rinks, still doing what he loves.

“I knew what it looked like when I was signing but in my situation you can’t be picky. When my agent called about Minny, it was a no-brainer. I was excited. Good opportunity to stay in the NHL for awhile,” said Pickard, who knows Gustavsson will eventually get healthy to partner Wallstedt and he’ll possibly be on waivers to go to AHL Iowa, but that’s his life. He got signed there because he’s a good guy, and there’s not a lot of mileage on his body, even at 34. He’s stayed in one piece.

“Durability is the key with goalies,” he said.

“I’m taking this day by day. I’ve only played one game as a Minnesota Wild and it happened to be against Stu (Skinner) in Winnipeg, in my hometown. I’m thinking, ‘Gimme a break.’ Yeah, we did share a laugh,” said Pickard, who played well but the Jets beat the Wild. “It was weird. Here’s Stu, playing in my hometown. The city’s behind him. Seems like when he handles the puck behind the net, the whole crowd’s yelling, ‘Stuuu!” I’m happy for him.”

Skinner’s gone from Edmonton to Pittsburgh and signing in Winnipeg. Pickard, who will always have lots of gear for an NHL alumni game, is now in Minnesota. That’s the life of goalies, where things seldom stay the same.

“Just like when I was here, things can change on a dime. I was in Edmonton for almost three years and felt pretty secure there for a while until it wasn’t. Somebody is always looking for your job, or wanting your job,” he said.

It definitely didn’t end well here for Pickard or the Oilers as a team last season. Pickard got off to a rough start, then saw his buddy Skinner traded last December for Tristan Jarry. When Jarry got hurt shortly after the deal, Connor Ingram was summoned from Bakersfield, played very well, and Pickard found himself as third man when Jarry got healthy. Eventually, he went back to the minors after AHL stops in Lake Erie, San Antonio, Toronto Marlies, Tucson and Grand Rapids, before Bako. He was back here for the playoffs but only as a spectator/practice goalie.

It was frustrating and humbling for Pickard, and a kick in the head for the Oilers, sputtering through the regular season and going out in Round 1 to Anaheim.

“I had a rough start … there was lots of noise around the goaltending. Once Stu got traded, it was tough. We struggled as a team, as well. Good and bad, inconsistent. Going to the minors and leaving the family behind in Edmonton was hard on me. Wasn’t my most memorable year, for sure,” said Pickard.

But there are few certainties in net in the NHL. Not just for goalies who’ve moved around constantly like Pickard. Vezina Trophy winners and USA Olympians like Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck want out and are waiting to be traded. Studs like Igor Shesterkin suddenly get hurt in New York and are gone for the season. Stanley Cup winners and Canadian Olympians like Jordan Binnington in St. Louis, used to be part of the bright lights, but are now backups.

“It’s volatile position, for sure. You get on runs and get in a zone. I had that for a year here. Then you get on a cold streak and another guy takes your job. You see that a lot. There’s lots of new faces every year, playing well. I want to get back to that point,” said Pickard, who has always tried to keep his picture small, not look too far ahead. He’s a lifer in net, but not a lifer in one place.

“I actually feel better than I did 10 years ago. I would love to play forever. We’ll see,” said Pickard, who would have liked a 10-year run with the Oilers, but did pack a lot into his time here, especially saving the Oilers in the playoffs in 2025.

“It’s a bonus that I pretty much know people on every team,” said the Travellin’ Man. “But you do want stability, especially with a family. You want to be in one spot for a long time but the reality is, that doesn’t happen. Look at our (Oilers) team that went to the finals. How many guys are still here from then?”

Only 11 players who were in 2025 final. And no coaches remain, with head man Kris Knoblauch, Glen Gulutzan, Paul Coffey, Mark Stuart and goalie instructor Dustin Schwartz gone. Coffey did drop in Tuesday from his home in Toronto, though.

In the final analysis, few people were more liked than Pickard in the Oilers room.

“I’ve always wanted to be in the mix and having that carry over to the ice, having people go to bat for you. I always felt comfortable in Edmonton,” he said.

Bookmark our website and support our journalism:Don’t miss the news you need to know — add EdmontonJournal.com and EdmontonSun.com to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here. 

You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun.