Edmonton Oilers’ goaltender Calvin Pickard was nominated for the 2025 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy as voted on by Edmonton’s Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA). The trophy is awarded annually to “the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey”. The winner is selected in a poll of all chapters of the PHWA at the end of the regular season.
Bill Masterton was a 29-year-old rookie who sadly passed away in 1968 due to an on-ice incident. So, the NHL created this award to commemorate him and reward players who demonstrate the same qualities Masterton possessed. With that said, the Oilers’ netminder is a great choice for this award.
Related: Calvin Pickard Has Saved the Oilers’ Season in Stuart Skinner’s Absence
The Oilers’ nominee has bounced around his entire NHL career but has stuck with it. In 14 professional seasons, he’s played 172 NHL games and another 321 in the American Hockey League (AHL). In those 14 seasons, he’s played for six organizations, including the Oilers, Colorado Avalanche, Toronto Maple Leafs, Philadelphia Flyers, Detroit Red Wings, and Arizona Coyotes.
This is the first season he’s played over 30 games in the NHL since he played 50 with the Avalanche during the 2016-17 season. He’s only played 20-plus games four times, and he’s played under 10 games five times. Between 2018 and 2023, before signing with Edmonton, he played a combined 18 games and couldn’t find a way to stay in the big leagues. He had a good start to his career in Colorado, but he completely fell off before being rejuvenated in Edmonton.
Pickard Isn’t Supposed to Be In the NHL
Pickard is the definition of perseverance. Edmonton signed him ahead of the 2022-23 season, and he played the entire season with the Bakersfield Condors in the AHL. He played 38 games with the Condors that season, registering a 2.70 goals-against average (GAA) and .912 save percentage (SV%).
He was signed to be a veteran netminder in the AHL, but the failed Jack Campbell experiment forced Edmonton to call him up. Campbell was brutal since his free-agent signing in 2022, registering an .888 SV% in 36 games in his first season, and followed that up with a putrid .873 SV% in five games last season before being placed on waivers. He was eventually bought out in the offseason, making Pickard the full-time backup. This was supposed to be Stuart Skinner and Campbell’s crease for years to come, but unforeseen circumstances changed those plans.
Pickard spoke with the media ahead of Wednesday’s tilt (April 9) with the St. Louis Blues about his nomination. “I couldn’t do it without all my teammates and staff. I’ve grinded up and down from the minors for years, and got a really good opportunity here last year, and it’s been the time of my life coming up here. I enjoy every day of it.”
The journeyman netminder isn’t supposed to be here, but he seized his opportunity and is still with the big club. His hard work and dedication should be admired, and he’s proving all the doubters wrong. It would’ve been easy to be complacent and stay in the AHL, but he battled hard and proved he still belongs in the NHL.
His teammates also really like him in the room. Leon Draisaitl had high praise for him after a 2-1 overtime victory over the New York Islanders on March 14. “He gives us a chance every time he’s in the net. So, you can’t ask for more than that. We love playing for him, and I think that’s obvious. He’s our heart and soul guy,” Draisaitl stated after that contest. He’s been a glue guy and can go weeks without a start, but when he’s in there, he can be trusted to provide quality goaltending. That’s a valuable asset and a great person to have on the team. He has found a home in Edmonton.
Pickard Has Stepped Up
Pickard has stepped up this season, especially with Skinner’s struggles. He has outperformed the Oilers’ starter, registering 21 wins with a 2.65 GAA and a .901 SV% in 34 games. He’s played well down the stretch, recording a .929 SV% or better in seven of his last 12 games and above .900 in eight of them. The 32-year-old is making a strong case to be the starter for Game 1 of the playoffs because he’s been the better goalie. He’s been instrumental in the team’s success and deserves to be rewarded with postseason action.
Pickard is dedicated to his game, and the Oilers would not be in this position without him. He’s giving the organization exactly what they need for a cheap $1 million cap hit. There have been talks about upgrading the goalie position in the offseason, but Pickard hasn’t done anything to warrant being replaced. He’s done everything asked of him and has been a true professional throughout it all. He deserves greater appreciation because if he hadn’t stepped in, where would the team be now? The veteran goaltender is finally being recognized with this nomination, and it’s well-deserved.
Then-Arizona Coyotes and now Utah Hockey Club goaltender Connor Ingram won the award last season, so maybe another goalie can win it again. An Oiler has never won this award since its inception during the 1967-68 season. Pickard joins 31 other nominees for this prestigious honour.
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