Earlier in December, the Edmonton Oilers made a massive shakeup in net, sending goaltender Stuart Skinner to the Pittsburgh Penguins in a trade for Tristan Jarry.
There were other pieces that switched hands, with the Oilers sending both a 2029 second round draft pick and defenceman Brett Kulak for prospect forward Samuel Poulin. The main point of the move however, was the Oilers acquiring an upgrade in net.
Now, despite that move, the club still has goaltender Calvin Pickard in net and with Jarry out with an injury the Oilers may look to make another move in goal.
Marc-Andre Fleury
Former NHL goalie, Marc-Andre Fleury was one of the top goalies in his generation, capturing three Stanley Cups and a Vezina Trophy and playing in over 1,200 NHL games between the regular season and playoffs combined.
He is currently retired, after signing a tryout contract with the Penguins to play one final preseason game with the team that drafted him. However, he has long been rumoured to come out of retirement and find an NHL team to play for.
The Oilers are rumoured to be one team that has been checking in on him for a while and the fit makes sense. At 41 years old, Fleury is likely going to join a cup contending team and given the Oilers have been to two straight Stanley Cup finals, they fit the bill.
Fleury himself fits the Oilers needs, not only given his wealth of knowledge, experience, and success but given his level of play. Last season, Fleury featured in 26 games for the Minnesota Wild with a 14-9-1 record and despite an unflattering .899 save percentage, he had an impressive .636 quality start percentage (hockey-reference.com). He displayed a high level of play even at 40 years old, if he can provide the Oilers with similar play, he could be a valuable addition to their crease.
Alex Lyon
The 33 year old Alex Lyon, is playing in the crowded crease for the Buffalo Sabres and could find himself as the odd man out for the Oilers. As reported by NHL insider Elliotte Friedman earlier in December, he said "In addition to Tristan Jarry, I believe the Oilers poked around Alex Lyon. Not as seriously as Jarry, but it was there."
There is a clear interest there and with newly appointed general manager Jarmo Kekalainen publicly proclaiming he will do away with the three goalie situation, it makes sense for both sides. Unless of course, the Sabres would rather opt to keep Lyon for a potential playoff push.
Over the past number of seasons, Lyon has proven himself to be a legitimate NHL netminder 109 games since the start of the 2022-23 NHL season with the Florida Panthers. He has compiled a record of 53-37-11. He has also sported a save percentage above .900 in three of the past four seasons. Despite his extensive playtime, he has only played four postseason games, all coming for the Panthers in 2023.
His contract as well is manageable, carrying only a $1.5 million annual average value. If the Oilers are able to make the money work and have the assets to trade for him, he may be the top candidate on the club's list.