The Edmonton Oilers are getting exactly what they need from the crease at a time when the depth chart has been stretched thin.
With Frederik Andersen out since training camp and Devon Levi now sidelined by a groin injury, Tristan Jarry and Matt Tomkins have been left to handle the load on the team’s road trip through New York. So far, they’ve done more than hold the line. In the last three games, Edmonton has allowed just one goal with those two in net.
Jarry delivered back-to-back shutouts against Calgary and the New York Islanders, and in the process put together 120 straight minutes without giving up a goal. That’s a welcome run for a goalie whose standing in Edmonton had been under a cloud after he lost the confidence of Oilers fans last season.
“With Dev hurt, I knew I'd get a little bit more work,” Jarry said following Saturday's win over the Islanders. “So just being able to take care of that opportunity and kind of just run with it… It's been fun, to say the least.”
He also pointed to the group in front of him for making life easier.
“Anytime you can have a stretch like that, you're obviously feeling pretty good,” Jarry said. “The guys are doing a great job keeping pucks to the outside.”
Babcock said after Saturday’s win, “We're trying to create a plan that works all year long, and then at playoff time,” Babcock said following Saturday's win. “Our priority right now is to be better without the puck, try not to give up as much and learn to play that way every night.”
Tomkins then stepped into the spotlight Sunday and made his Oilers debut against the Rangers in a 4-1 win at Madison Square Garden. He stopped 27 shots in what was his seventh NHL game and first since April of 2024.
It’s been a winding path for Tomkins, who has spent much of his pro career in the AHL, ECHL, and Swiss Hockey League. He was originally drafted by Stan Bowman during Bowman’s time with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2012.
“It's been a long road, for sure,” Tomkins said afterward. “It's been tough, but it's been enjoyable at the same time. I love to play, my career has taken me all over the world, and I've enjoyed every step.”
Edmonton gave him some support early. Connor McDavid scored just 50 seconds into the game, Colton Dach added two goals, and Evan Bouchard chipped in with three points. Tomkins then made several key saves in the second period to help keep the Rangers at arm’s length before the Oilers finished off their third straight win.
McDavid was quick to praise him after the game.
“He's an unbelievable dude. He worked so hard this summer in Edmonton and just so happy for him,” McDavid said.
“Obviously, (MSG) is a cool place to play, a special building. I'm happy for him.”
The results have pushed Edmonton to seven straight road wins to open the season. The Oilers are 11-2-2 and sitting near the top of the NHL standings.
For a team that came into the year with real questions in goal, the early returns have been encouraging. Through 15 games, goaltending has become one of the more positive parts of Babcock’s team, and Jarry’s run has been a big reason why.
In Other News...
Oilers Escape With A Point In A Performance Fans Wont Love
The Oilers left New Jersey with a point after a 4-3 shootout loss, but it was the kind of night that probably did not sit well with anyone watching closely. Edmonton opened the scoring, then spent much of the game chasing the Devils after a rough second period, before clawing back into it in the third and forcing overtime. Connor McDavid kept his run going with another point, and Evan Bouchard continued to pace NHL defensemen in scoring, but the overall performance was uneven enough to make the result feel more like a survival act than a clean escape.
Special teams helped keep Edmonton in the game, with the power play doing important work after the Oilers were outplayed at five-on-five. Tristan Jarry turned in a .912 save percentage to give them a chance to hang around, and the point at least prevented the night from becoming a full collapse after three straight wins. Still, the bigger concern is how often this group had to lean on individual skill and special-teams execution just to get to a shootout. [Read more 🡒]
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Is About To Reach A Special Oilers Milestone
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The milestone comes with Nugent-Hopkins still under contract and still very much part of the Oilers core, which only adds to the significance of the moment. For a player who has spent his entire career in one sweater, the record is less a surprise than a reminder of how long he has been there, and how rare that kind of continuity has become. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Trade Buzz Is Suddenly Focusing On One Missing Element
The Oilers trade chatter is starting to circle around a very specific need: a heavier forward who can bring size and edge to the bottom six. Sportsnets Frank Seravalli and analyst Bob Stauffer have both pointed to that type of addition as a possible priority, with Matt Rempe of the New York Rangers emerging as one name to watch among a broader list that also includes Kirby Dach, Zack Ostapchuk, Mathieu Olivier and Evander Kane.
Edmonton has plenty of skill up front, but the conversation now is about balance and whether the roster has enough physical presence for the stretch run. Nothing has been confirmed yet, which leaves the Oilers in the familiar spot of being linked to multiple options while the front office sorts out which fit makes the most sense. [Read more 🡒]