John Gibson Blocked Edmonton Oilers Trade at Deadline Over Surprising Reason

In November, Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reported that Anaheim Ducks goalie John Gibson would be traded to the Edmonton Oilers before the March 7 trade deadline.

It gained momentum again in February, with Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman stating a deal was getting close. But it never came to fruition, and now we know why.

Gibson, by all accounts, wasn't interested in splitting a No. 1 role with Stuart Skinner, per Friedman. He required an absolute No. 1 scenario, one that the Oilers couldn't provide.

And with Skinner's wildly inconsistent playoffs, that makes you wonder if it was a decision the Oilers brass really regrets now.

Skinner showed flashes of brilliance, registering a save percentage of .966 or better in three of five games against Dallas in the Western Conference Final, and three playoff shutouts in total throughout the playoffs. But the lows were just as apparent.

Nothing like his performance in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final, when he allowed a goal 56 seconds in and yielded five on just 23 shots, with a .783 save percentage. That was preceded by an .860 in the clincher. Nothing to ride home about here.

The Oilers are now left to decide. Do they double down on Skinner, considering his inconsistency? Or revert to the idea of picking up an actual starter in the form of Gibson, after his initial unwillingness?

After another failed Cup push, tough choices lie ahead in Edmonton, and perhaps it's finally time to swap out Skinner for Gibson.