With Lukas Dostal signing a five-year, $6.25 million AAV contract in Anaheim, the Edmonton Oilers face an interesting hypothetical question: would it better to stick with Stuart Skinner, a cheaper, homegrown goaltender with playoff experience but some inconsistency, or look toward a more expensive option like Dostal, who boasts strong numbers behind a weak team but has never played a postseason game?
Right now, the Oilers have just $225K in cap space and are tight against the ceiling. That makes financial flexibility critical, and Skinner remains on a team-friendly deal for one more season. The 26-year-old has logged 189 NHL games with a .905 save percentage, plus 50 playoff appearances and two Stanley Cup Final runs. While his postseason numbers (.893 SV%) have been up and down, the experience is invaluable.
Dostal, 25, has a .902 save percentage over 121 games but has never seen playoff action. Still, many believe his performance behind Anaheim’s poor defense suggests he could thrive on a stronger team. And with Edmonton’s blue line now considered one of the best in the NHL, some wonder if a goaltender like Dostal would shine behind the Oilers’ structure in a way Skinner hasn’t.
This Hypothetical Trade Comes at a Cost
But swapping Skinner for a more expensive option like Dostal comes at a cost. Signing a $6M+ goalie likely means sacrificing elsewhere on the roster — something the Cup-contending Oilers can’t afford without consequences.
Understanding that the Ducks likely have no desire to trade Dostal, what would have to go to make adding him feasible in this hypothetical scenario? Skinner for Dostal straight across won’t do it. The Ducks aren’t in a situation where they need a playoff-tested goalie with one year left on his deal. They’d need a sweetener, and the Oilers would need to clear cap space. That means a significant and valuable player is gone. There’s no ‘throw in Mattias Janmark‘ in this kind of deal.
If Skinner can steady his playoff performances, his agent may try to use Dostal’s contract as a comparable. Still, there is an argument that Edmonton would be wise to wait and see how he performs this season. The Ducks are betting on big potential. The Oilers would be betting that Skinner has a bounce-back season.
What would you do? Would you take the fallout on the roster in Edmonton that would come with Dostal’s deal? Or, would you run with Skinner in the hopes he rebounds and does so on a much less expensive contract?