The Edmonton Oilers are set to enter the 2026-27 NHL season with a total of seven goaltenders under contract with their NHL club.
There is a reasonable assumption that the Oilers themselves will enter the upcoming season with three goalies on their everyday roster, with four more occupying their minor league systems. Those three goalies are; Frederik Andersen, Devon Levi, and Tristan Jarry. However, there is one issue, that one of Jarry or Levi may at some point find themselves on the waiver wire and may spend time in the American Hockey League with the Bakersfield Condors.
To add to the dilemma facing the Oilers goaltending situation, the Condors announced they have signed Oilers goalie prospect, Eemil Vinni to a one-year, two-way AHL deal. This adds another body to the mix and further adds to an already crowded crease.
Oilers goaltending situation
The most likely scenario entering this season is that the Oilers keep three on their roster and roll them out as a trio rather than what has become the standard tandem. This is due to a number of factors, largely the volatility of the position and their personnel.
Frederik Andersen, the 36 year old veteran joins the Oilers fresh off a Stanley Cup victory with the Carolina Hurricanes. There are valid injury concerns with him that combined with his age and decline in performance, make him a bit of a risky gamble. However, if he can provide stabilization as he has shown throughout his career at this stage, he is likely the Oilers top option in net, or at least a 1B.
The only returning netminder for the Oilers, Tristan Jarry hopes to turn his play around in his second season after an abysmal start to his tenure in Edmonton. Through 19 games he had a 9-6-2 record with a .857 save percentage and despite being the presumptive starter when he was acquired last December, he lost the job to Connor Ingram and despite struggles played only one game in the playoffs.
The newly acquired Devon Levi has a lot of promise, being a dominant force for Canada on the international stage and throughout his NCAA career. At one point, he was one of the hottest names amongst goaltending prospects but has since seen himself fall a little bit as he has struggled to solidify an NHL job. He has made a total of 36 starts in the NHL with a 17-17-2 record and a 3.29 GAA and .894 save percentage.
There is a lot of promise for the Oilers goaltending situation
All three goaltenders slated to play between the pipes for the Oilers this season are at different parts of their career. Levi at the start, Jarry in the middle and after a downward spiral, while Andersen is near the end. They all bring unique perspectives to the job and all represent different points of optimism.
Any one of them has the ability to take over the reigns this season and get the nod to start on a nightly basis. It seems most likely that Andersen will head to camp with the top job given his experience, recent success, and history with the new head coach Mike Babcock.
However, Jarry himself has over 300 games played under his belt, mostly with the Pittsburgh Penguins as their starting goalie. If he can return next season behind a more stable Oilers defensive corps and find his game again, he could take over the starter's net for Edmonton. It would be welcomed given the price that general manager Stan Bowman paid for his services.
Finally, Levi could take the next step and playing behind a team that is frankly better than the 2023-24 and 2024-25 Buffalo Sabres. He could live up to his potential and take over the starting job, especially if either Jarry or Andersen (or both) hit a snag and are unable to take over the role themselves for whatever reason.
There is plenty of optimism for the Oilers goaltending situation entering the season, especially more than last year when they started with Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard. It should still be a cautious optimism with the potential for the Oilers to end up in a bad spot given the three goalies and their current career trajectories. It will depend on camp and how the season plays out but there is at least a glimmer of hope for now.
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