The Olympic break ends, and suddenly five NHL teams face do-or-die pressure to ignite their seasons with the standings tighter than ever. Front offices whisper about trade deadlines without the old LTIR tricks, while goalie carousels like Edmonton's Jarry-Ingram tandem spin wild rumors. Teams clinging to wild-card spots know one hot streak post-break could flip GM decisions from sell to buy, reshaping the playoff race before the final 25 games.

The Edmonton Oilers cling to first place in the Pacific, but their goaltending tandem of Tristan Jarry and Connor Ingram faces brutal questions after leaking goals in four of the last five games. Front offices whisper that team defense lags badly, forcing netminders into impossible spots night after night, just like the funks that plagued Stuart Skinner before his Pittsburgh escape. GM Stan Bowman eyes blue-line fixes over panic moves in net, knowing one playoff slip could torch another Cup run.

NHL analysts are ripping into the Oilers for their risky handling of veteran goalie Calvin Pickard, who just cleared waivers after getting squeezed out of the three-goalie rotation with Tristan Jarry nearing a return and Connor Ingram stealing the show. Pickard's been a locker room favorite through thick and thin, but his sub-.900 save percentage lately has everyone questioning if Edmonton dodged a bullet or just delayed the inevitable goalie crunch.