PuckSleuth
Calvin Pickard31

Minnesota Wild · Goalie · Catches L

Calvin Pickard

Age 34 · 6'1" · 206 lb · Born in Moncton, CAN

Cap hit

$1M

1.0% of $104M cap

Term

1 yr

Through 2026-27, then UFA

Clause

None

Surplus value

+$1.498M

vs. $2.498M market estimate

Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source

2025-26 regular season

GP

16

13 starts

Record

5-6-2

SV%

.871

GAA

3.68

Shots against

410

GSAx

-4.1

goals saved above expected

Game Score

-0.26

per game

Game log

Last 5 games · NHL API

GameDecSASVGASV%TOIxGAGSAxHD savesGS
Jan 8@ WPG · W 4-3W16133.81360:001.80-1.201/2-1.20
Jan 3vs PHI · L 5-2L28244.85757:092.75-1.252/3-1.25
Dec 29@ WPG · W 3-1W42411.97659:563.91+2.913/3+2.91
Dec 20@ MIN · L 5-2L36324.88957:424.08+0.083/5+0.08
Dec 18@ BOS · W 3-1Relief131301.00023:521.26+1.261/1+1.26

Dec = decision (W, L, OTL; ND = started, no decision). HD saves = high-danger shots on goal stopped. GS = our Game Score.

Advanced metrics

2025-26 · 16 GP · 864 min · percentile vs. NHL goalies

SV%.871

4th percentile

GSAx-4.1

34th percentile

GSAx/60-0.28

16th percentile

HDSV%.621

6th percentile

HD GSAx-2.7

33rd percentile

5v5 GSAx-4.7

34th percentile

EV SV%.876

3rd percentile

Quality start %23.1%

0th percentile

Really bad start %30.8%

21st percentile

xGA/603.40

97th percentile

Expected goals come from our own model and rate every unblocked shot he faced by its chance of going in. High-danger shots are those worth 0.15 expected goals or more. Percentiles compare him with goalies who played 600 minutes that season. xGA/60 shows how hard his workload was, so its bar is grey.

Play styleStruggling backup

Trait percentiles vs. NHL goalies · 2025-26

Pickard is a backup whose best trait is limiting quick second chances, but most of his save numbers sit well below the NHL norm. He has had trouble with dangerous shots and at 5-on-5, and rarely gave his team a quality start.

BackupRebound controlInconsistentBelow-average saves
High-danger saves
19
Routine saves
37
Rebound control
61
5-on-5 saves
17
PK saves
37
Consistency
0
Workload
0

Strengths

  • Good rebound control, 61st percentile for fewer shots right after his saves.

Watch-outs

  • Quality starts in just 23% of starts, 0th percentile for consistency.
  • High-danger saves rank 19th percentile, with a .621 save % on 66 shots.
  • 5-on-5 saves rank 17th percentile, with -4.1 goals saved above expected overall.

Similar style: Jacob Markstrom (FLA), Ville Husso (ANA)

Built from play-by-play and our expected goals model, compared with goalies who have 600+ minutes in the season.

Career stats

From the NHL's player records

SeasonLeagueTeamGPGSWLOTLSV%GAASOSAGA
2005-06WAAA U15Winnipeg Monarchs U15 AAA15—————2.04———
2005-06 (playoffs)John Reid BantamWinnipeg Monarchs Bantam AAA4————.9421.50———
2006-07WAAA U15Winnipeg Monarchs U15 AAA15—————2.50———
2006-07 (playoffs)John Reid BantamWinnipeg Monarchs Bantam AAA3————.8512.20———
2007-08MMHLWpg. Wild40—————1.91———
2007-08 (playoffs)MU18HLWinnipeg Wild U18 AAA4—————2.75———
2008-09WHLSeattle47—2316—.8963.0531182137
2008-09 (playoffs)WHLSeattle5—14—.9153.03017715
2009-10WHLSeattle62—1634—.9143.0932207190
2009-10WJ18-ACanada6—33—.8942.87014115
2010-11WHLSeattle68—2733—.9163.3612668225
2011-12WHLSeattle64—2537—.9063.5952302217
2011-12AHLLake Erie2—10—.8923.120374
2012-13AHLLake Erie47—2019—.9182.4751381113
2013-14AHLLake Erie43—1618—.9062.8521237116
2014-15NHLColorado Avalanche1613673.9322.35051135
2014-15AHLCleveland Monsters50—231712.9172.6131540128
2015-16NHLColorado Avalanche2013761.9222.56153942
2015-16AHLSan Antonio Rampage21—984.9172.75170058
2015-16WCCanada2—200.9710.501351
2016-17NHLColorado Avalanche504815312.9042.9821461140
2016-17WCCanada7—520.9381.49117811
2017-18NHLToronto Maple Leafs11001.8573.830284
2017-18AHLToronto Marlies33—2193.9182.31190174
2017-18 (playoffs)AHLToronto Marlies3—10—.9561.000452
2018-19NHLPhiladelphia Flyers118422.8634.01122731
2018-19NHLArizona Coyotes64040.8923.61015717
2018-19AHLTucson Roadrunners4—300.8893.4709911
2019-20NHLDetroit Red Wings31020.7975.4607415
2019-20AHLGrand Rapids Griffins33—17126.9032.86396293
2020-21NHLDetroit Red Wings64211.8743.16012716
2020-21AHLGrand Rapids Griffins3—111.8823.3308510
2020-21ICEHLVienna Capitals6—330.9191.96014812
2021-22NHLDetroit Red Wings31110.8754.300729
2021-22AHLGrand Rapids Griffins43—21164.9182.5811330109
2022-23AHLBakersfield Condors38—23122.9122.7041144101
2022-23 (playoffs)AHLBakersfield Condors2—022.9033.040626
2023-24NHLEdmonton Oilers23201271.9092.45158153
2023-24AHLBakersfield Condors4—220.9392.0301328
2023-24 (playoffs)NHLEdmonton Oilers32110.9152.210595
2024-25NHLEdmonton Oilers363122101.9002.71084985
2024-25 (playoffs)NHLEdmonton Oilers107710.8862.85021925
2025-26NHLEdmonton Oilers1613562.8713.68041053

Every league he has played in, from the NHL's records, regular season and playoffs.

Latest news

Headlines from news outlets and team blogs

Sentiment & chatter

Fans

—

Beat writers

—

Media

—

Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.

Recent Game Scores

Last 10 games · goals above average

Average +0.01 per game over these 10.

Where his Game Score comes from

-0.26 per game

2025-26 · 16 GP

Season total -4.1, or -0.26 per game.

Goaltending
-4.1

Game Score gives credit for everything a player does in a game. Goals (1.0) and assists (0.7 primary, 0.5 secondary) count most; shots, blocks, hits, takeaways, penalties drawn, faceoff wins, killing penalties, and holding down the other team's chances add to it. Only mistakes subtract: goals against at 5-on-5, giveaways, penalties taken, faceoff losses, and allowing more chances than an average player would. A player who is there to defend or kill penalties is not marked down for not scoring. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.

Usage

Last 2 games this season

Did not start last game (Jesper Wallstedt did).

From the NHL's shift charts, averaged over this season's last 10 games.

Age curve

At 34: 100% of peak

NHL goalies · production index

202937

At 34, goalies typically produce 100% of their peak (age 26).

From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.

Contract by season

1 season left

SeasonTeamCap hit% of cap
2026-27MIN$1M1.0%

UFA after 2026-27. $1M in cap hits left. % of cap uses each season's ceiling where the league has set one ($104M this season, $113.5M in 2027-28).