Mike Babcock still has plenty to sort out with the Edmonton Oilers, and the crease might be the trickiest part of all.
The new head coach has spent the first week of training camp weighing bigger lineup questions, including whether Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will skate together or separately. But when it comes to goaltending, Babcock is no closer to a clean answer on whether the Oilers will carry a duo or a trio.
That decision has become more complicated with the arrival of Frederik Andersen and Devon Levi, both joining Tristan Jarry in the mix. Jarry finished last season backing up recently retired Connor Ingram, but the pecking order is still unsettled as camp moves toward the regular season.
Andersen has not yet reported to training camp, which only opens the door wider for everyone else.
“Now it just gives other people an opportunity,” Babcock said. “Freddy gets good rest. He got married and won the Cup, had a couple surgeries, now he’s got to work his way back.
“He’ll be ready when he’s ready. In the meantime, we’ll have a battle in the net for the spot and we’ll do our best to make sure we’re not giving up Grade ‘A’s (scoring chances).”
For now, Babcock says he’s not ready to label anyone the favorite.
“I don’t really know, we’re just going to watch them here,” said Babcock, who apparently has more important things on his mind. “I haven’t watched the goalies one time except the game. Not at all.
“Pete (Aubrey, Oilers goalie coach) and I talk about it but I haven’t watched them. But in these four exhibition games, we’ll have a feel for the goaltending and then we’ll decide from there.”
In Other News...
Kevin Bahl May Be Carrying More Of Calgarys Blue Line Than Ever
Kevin Bahl arrives in camp with a clear assignment in mind, and it goes well beyond simply settling into the Calgary Flames blue line. With Simon Nemec in the fold after the trade from the New Jersey Devils, Bahl is being lined up as the steady, defense-first presence beside a younger partner whose game leans more naturally toward pushing the puck and joining the attack. Head coach Ryan Huska has already framed Bahl as the kind of blueliner who can balance out that style and help give the Flames a more functional look in tough minutes.
The bigger picture for Calgary is how much responsibility Bahl could absorb if this pairing holds. The Flames are counting on him to take on heavy defensive work against opposing top lines, and his role should stretch into special teams as well as the season unfolds. For a team trying to sort out its back end, Bahl may end up being one of the players who quietly carries the most weight in the structure, even if the spotlight naturally follows the more dynamic name next to him. [Read more 🡒]
Flames Fans Finally Get A First Look At Conroys Biggest Additions
The long wait for a first real look at Calgarys offseason overhaul ends Tuesday night at the Scotiabank Saddledome, when the Flames dress Simon Nemec, Jake Middleton and Maxim Tsyplakov for a preseason game against the Vancouver Canucks. All three arrived in separate summer moves, with Nemec and Tsyplakov coming over from the New Jersey Devils in a deal built around draft picks and a prospect, and Middleton landing from the Minnesota Wild, giving fans their first chance to see how the new pieces fit into the roster.
The early alignment offers an immediate hint at how the Flames view the additions. Nemec is slated for the top defensive pairing, Middleton is expected to settle into a second-pair role, and Tsyplakov should get a look on the fourth line, with both Nemec and Tsyplakov also drawing second-unit power-play duty. Preseason lineups are never final, but this one should give Calgary a better sense of just how quickly the new arrivals can settle into the spots the team has mapped out for them. [Read more 🡒]
Flames Preseason Lineup Just Sent A Clear Message To Young Players
Calgarys first preseason game offered a pretty clear hint about where the roster stands heading into the fall. In a 4-2 loss to Seattle, the Flames iced a group with few established NHL regulars, a sign that the club is still sorting through its younger options and trying to see which players can handle bigger responsibilities before the games start to matter.
Ahead of the next matchup with Vancouver, a projected opening-night lineup has started to come into focus, and it includes names like Connor Zary and Samuel Honzek in prominent spots. The Flames have not officially locked anything in yet, but the expectation is that what shows up against the Canucks will look a lot closer to the group that opens the season, giving the younger players one more chance to show they belong in the conversation. [Read more 🡒]