He’s the answer to a trivia question: Who was the first player announced as a member of the Golden Knights during the 2017 expansion draft?
Turns out, goalie Calvin Pickard of the Colorado Avalanche didn’t stick around too long.
The original Knight never made it to the regular season.
Pickard, now in net for Edmonton and the winner of Game 1 in this best-of-seven series, lasted all of training camp that first season in Las Vegas before being traded to Toronto.
The 33-year-old will be back at it Thursday night, when the Knights and Oilers square off in Game 2 at T-Mobile Arena.
It has been a difficult road for Pickard, who is the first Edmonton goalie to start a postseason 5-0 since Hall of Famer Grant Fuhr in 1985. Pickard has spent much of the past eight years playing in the American Hockey League for various teams.
Trying to get back to the mountaintop.
Trying to be a consistent NHL player.
Sticking with it
Pickard found a home with Edmonton in 2023, first arriving as a depth piece before becoming the Oilers backup for Stuart Skinner.
“He’s awesome,” said Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb, an Original Misfit also selected in that expansion draft. “He was pretty close with everybody. We had some fun for such a short period of time in camp. Ended up renting the house he had been renting when he left.
“It’s a credit to him for sticking with it. He has always been a good teammate and a good guy to have in the locker room. He’s playing well. Good for him and good for them. Hopefully, we can get to him (Thursday).”
The Knights did find success against Pickard early in Game 1, with captain Mark Stone scoring twice in the first 9:03. But that was it for the team. Pickard stopped the last 10 shots he faced and wasn’t tested much the final two periods. He was sharp when called upon, helping the Oilers kill off a penalty in the third period with the game tied 2-2.
“We usually have the puck more than the other team and we were kind of rolling around in the o-zone,” Pickard said. “You have to stay ready, obviously. They had a couple looks that missed the net. That’s my job. The next shot I have to save and keep my team in the game.
“When it was (2-0), obviously they’re a very good defensive team and getting down three would not be a good recipe against them. They didn’t have a ton of good looks in the second. With us being down 2-1 (after two periods), we liked our game. Just stuck with it.”
Comebacks have been the story of Edmonton’s postseason. The Oilers have won five in a row since trailing 2-0 in their first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings. They trailed in all five of those victories.
Pickard replaced Skinner in the third period of Game 2 and hasn’t left the net since. He has an .891 save percentage and 2.76 goals-against average in the playoffs. Pickard’s numbers aren’t spectacular, but he’s provided stability after Skinner allowed 11 goals his two starts.
Paying off
“I never stopped believing in myself, and if you’re not believing in yourself you’re not going to be very successful,” Pickard told NHL.com. “I played some good hockey in those years since I played 50 games in Colorado (in 2016-17) and I was always building my game and my confidence to get back to this level.
“I always thought I could play at this level.”
Pickard has been challenged time and again to prove as much, to have enough success that it’s difficult for a coach to keep him out of the net.
The answer to a trivia question hasn’t had it easy.
But things seem to be paying off now.
“He has really had a resurgence,” Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon said. “He’s a great person. I’ve known him for many years. He has an opportunity and has taken advantage of it.”
Contact Ed Graney at [email protected]. Follow @edgraney on X.
