Who will start in net when the Edmonton Oilers open playoffs?

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At this point, the biggest problem with the Edmonton Oilers entering the NHL playoffs is not the people they will meet, but they will start online.

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With the Los Angeles Kings hoping for three straight early exports to avenge the Oilers as rivals in the two Pacific Divisions will open each other for the fourth consecutive year, for Connor McDavid & Co.

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The late injury avalanche buried any hopes to return to second place in the department, with Edmonton finishing each of the last three seasons. Instead, the role reversed, which would be the King’s home ice advantage over the third oiler.

The good news for the Alberta capital is that they will get everyone back, although this may change in the case of Mattias Ekholm. The defender’s victory return was taken twice from seven games of absence and undisclosed injuries as he quitted 4-2 as he scored only 1:25.

There is no doubt that it is a devastating prospect for a team that is attacking around high octane, with the question mark of its best defensive player lowered at the most critical moment of the year.

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Moreover, this will only make who will protect the network more.

At this point, it almost certainly has to be Calvin Pickard, right?

Pickard also stood out from the lineup without Stuart Skinner, with McDavid and league-leading goalkeeper Leon Draisaitl, too, and it wasn’t just Pickard’s 5-3, it also made sense that Skinner can only have two chances left in the regular season on the rust effect before facing a big improved rust.

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This is a challenging prospect in itself, not to mention the injured person who collided with Dallas Stars forward Mikko Rantanen on March 26.

So, that’s OK, Skinner has been the official Oiler goalkeeper for the past two seasons. At this point, you almost certainly have to make the playoffs with Pickard, and Skinner’s two games have had less warm-ups than the other guy they’re resting for what’s going to happen.

Ignore Picard’s opinion. We did, and his focus now is six inches in front of his face so he can best see the 200-foot ice at the start of his final regular season, against the No. 1 Winnipeg Jets on Sunday, back-to-back with the Kings on Monday.

“I don’t know, I just go to the game,” Picard said Friday. “I woke up today and wanted to try to play games with the San Jose Sharks.

“Tomorrow will be a day off and we will attack Winnipeg.”

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His teammates don’t need anyone to make the playoffs with a substitute. They will push the red carpet from the sound of things.

“He’s made a huge progress. When you have a man coming in and playing so many games, he’s stepping up every night.” “Every time he’s on the network, he’s giving us a chance to win and fight.

“It’s starting with the ice. He’s the toughest worker in the gym, first on the ice. He’s playing and doing different things. It’s an honor for him.”

But head coach Kris Knoblauch has not written Skinner yet.

“Last year, talking about draft picks, not playing for two weeks, then scoring goals, doing well in the playoffs,” he said. “It’s technical. Without playing the game, you can hone those skills because you spend more time practicing.

“Playing the game is obviously a big part of being prepared and he will have some tests on both games. Two games and then hopefully he can pick it up and play well for us.”

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That said, Knoblauch stopped saying that his No. 1 goalkeeper in the regular season will remain the No. 1 in the playoffs.

“We will play the best goalkeepers and give us the best chance to win,” he said, citing the old NHL playoff motto where teams play with people with hot hands.

Oilers would better hope only one of them can do it.

gmoddejonge@postmedia.com

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