Ex-Oilers Calvin Pickard Reminds Us That Hockey Needs Its

It's good to see Calvin Pickard getting another opportunity in the NHL. The former Edmonton Oilers goalie has signed with Minnesota, and he's getting the chance to show what he can do with another organization.

I always liked Pickard in Edmonton. He was a good teammate, stepped in when needed, and helped the Oilers during their playoff runs. He might not have been the star of the show, but he was part of the group that got the team where it wanted to go.

Now, at 34, he's starting another chapter with the Wild.

Pickard’s story is one of persistence and ups and downs.

Here's what interests me about Pickard's story. Hockey has plenty of stars, but it also has a whole group of players who spend their careers moving between teams, accepting different roles, and trying to stay in the league. Goalies might have the toughest version of that life.

There are only 32 NHL starting jobs, and even those aren't always secure. A goalie can have a good stretch, lose his opportunity because of an injury or a change in plans, and suddenly find himself wondering where the next chance will come from. Pickard has spent much of his career in that world.

Not every contribution Pickard makes shows up in the statistics. His numbers in Edmonton last season weren't particularly pretty. He went 5-6-2 with a 3.68 goals-against average and an .871 save percentage. Those figures tell us something about his results, but they don't tell us everything about his contribution to a team.

Backup goalies don’t always know when they’ll play next.

Being a backup means preparing as though you're playing every night, even when you might sit for a week. It means supporting the starter, staying ready, and accepting that your opportunity could arrive without much warning. That's not an easy job. And when things go badly, backup goalies don't always get much room to explain themselves.

I wonder how many players like Pickard are floating around professional hockey, waiting for somebody to give them another opportunity. Some will get it. Others won't. That's the nature of the business.

But I think we sometimes overlook what these players bring to a team. They help create the environment in which the stars can succeed. They practice hard, push teammates, and fill important roles without demanding the spotlight.

For Edmonton fans, Pickard will be remembered as part of the Oilers' story. Minnesota is now giving him a chance to write another chapter. I'll be interested to see how it goes.

Sometimes, the best hockey stories aren't about the players who reach the top. They're about the ones who keep finding a way to stay in the game.