The Edmonton Oilers kept working the crease on Wednesday, adding Frederik Andersen on a one-year contract as their long-running search for stability in goal rolls on.
Kevin Weekes of ESPN first reported the agreement. The deal begins at $1 million and includes performance bonuses, which lifts the annual average value to $2.8 million.
Andersen arrives after five seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes, a stretch that produced uneven results. Matt Larkin had ranked him No. 16 on Daily Faceoff’s top-50 list of unrestricted free agents.
This past regular season was the roughest of Andersen’s career. He finished with an .874 save percentage and a 3.05 goals-against average. Then came the playoffs, where he completely flipped the script.
Andersen was sharp through Carolina’s first three rounds on the way to the Stanley Cup Final. His run took a hit in the opening games of the series after he suffered a knee injury in Game 2, and Brandon Bussi handled the rest of the load for the Hurricanes.
Even with that finish, Andersen’s postseason line stood out: 13-2, a .910 save percentage, a 1.89 goals-against average and three shutouts.
Over his NHL career, which also includes significant time in Anaheim and Toronto, Andersen has posted a .913 save percentage and a 2.59 goals-against average. His 324 regular-season wins rank fourth among active NHL goaltenders.
Andersen wasn’t Edmonton’s only goalie move of the day. The Oilers also sent a draft pick to the Buffalo Sabres to land Devon Levi, a netminder who has excelled in the AHL but has not yet carried that success over to the NHL.
With Levi and Andersen now in the mix, Edmonton has three goaltenders under contract. Tristan Jarry is the third, and Bowman said earlier Wednesday that he is likely to stay with the organization next season.
The Oilers paid a significant price to get Jarry from the Pittsburgh Penguins in the middle of the season, but his stint in Alberta went badly. He put up a .857 save percentage in 19 appearances and still has two years left on his contract at a $5.375 million cap hit.
In Other News...
Hurricanes Blue Line Buzz Just Took A Turn Fans Feared
The defense market has become a familiar place for the Hurricanes to keep one eye on, and it only got busier with reports that Carolina is still seeking help on the blue line. With the trade deadline picture already shifting around the league, from Colorados cap maneuvering to Winnipegs notable goalie move and other teams kicking tires on big names, the Hurricanes remain in the mix for a defense addition as they try to keep their back end as strong as possible.
One of the names drawing attention in those conversations is Alexander Nikishin, whose path is now starting to look like it could land out West. St. Louis has been mentioned as part of that discussion, which leaves Carolinas exact place in the sweepstakes hanging for the moment, but the interest alone says plenty about where the Hurricanes see their next move. For a team that has not hidden its desire to fortify the blue line, the waiting game is only getting more interesting. [Read more 🡒]