The Edmonton Oilers are seemingly forever entangled in some kind of a goaltending controversy and as they enter the 2026-27 season with a trio of viable options in goal, it is no different.
The three goaltenders expected to play meaningful games for the Oilers this season are; Frederik Andersen, Tristan Jarry, and Devon Levi. All three are at different stages of their careers and all three bring their own optimistic spin to the Oilers crease for this upcoming year.
Oilers goaltending trio could help stabilize their crease
Andersen, despite being at the twilight of his NHL career at 36 years old, just won the Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes, playing in over 50 games between the regular season and playoffs. He brings veteran leadership and a stable presence between the pipes and even with his injury history, he could very well be the Oilers starting goalie this season.
Jarry, is another veteran goalie at 31 years old and has played a combined 326 regular season games with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Oilers. At this stage in the career, entering the second last season of a five-year contract that pays him $5.375 million annually, he is embarking on what he hopes to be a redemption season for him.
The 24 year old Levi, is unlike either Jarry or Andersen in that his career is just now (hopefully) starting. He has played just 39 NHL games all with the Buffalo Sabres but did not play a single NHL match last season, with the bulk of his games coming in 2023-24 where he played 23 games. Despite him being unproven, his potential alone provides a lot of hope for the Oilers' future.
Bowman speaks about Oilers goalies
Reading between the lines during Bowman's media availability, he reveals his thoughts quite candidly on the Oilers goalies. At least, specifically on the two goalies -- Jarry and Levi -- that will start the season occupying the Oilers crease.
When asked about Jarry, Bowman gives an answer that you might expect given his performance last season saying ", when he returned from injury, and then from that point forward, it never came together for him. So we want Tristan to start this year the way he did last season. He was very effective in October and November. He was one of the better goalies in the East when we made the trade, so we're looking for a bounce back, and we're looking to kind of turn the page on last year."
He continued, speaking about the work and training that Jarry has put in to prepare for this season adding "He's in excellent condition. He's setting himself up in the best way possible to bounce back, and we're confident and hopeful it will happen.”
Overall, he boasted about his key acquisition last year, speaking about the expectation that he can turn things around after a rough time that saw Jarry end the season with a dismal .858 save percentage and a 9-6-2 record in 16 starts with the Oilers.
However, when Bowman spoke about Levi, he seemed to be a lot more optimistic. "Just watching Devon here in these pre-training camp skates, he's been outstanding. I think his quickness is very noticeable. He is lightning fast, a very active goalie, a very athletic and highly competitive kid, so you know he's got something to prove."
He added "He's been a very good goaltender, certainly through college and the American League, but for him, I think this opportunity is there, and we want him to push and show us he's the guy.”
This quote alone speaks volumes and certainly tips Bowman's hand, revealing that he wants Levi to prove he can take the reigns and be their starting goaltender. The Oilers have been without a solid starter for some time, albeit Stuart Skinner showed it in flashes, playing the role of a starter while the Oilers made back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals appearances.
The position between the pipes has long been an issue for the Oilers and Bowman during his availability reveals that the organization believes in Levi and that he wants him to take the starter's job.
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