The Edmonton Oilers are heading toward the 2026-27 season with a goaltending picture that looks crowded, complicated, and at least a little encouraging.
Right now, the organization has seven goaltenders under contract across the NHL club and its minor league system. The expectation is that Edmonton opens the year with three goalies on the everyday roster and four more in the minors. Frederik Andersen, Devon Levi, and Tristan Jarry are the names at the center of it all, though there’s a real possibility that one of Jarry or Levi could wind up on waivers and spend time with the Bakersfield Condors in the American Hockey League.
That situation got even busier when the Condors announced they had signed Oilers goalie prospect Eemil Vinni to a one-year, two-way AHL deal.
The most likely setup is that Edmonton carries all three goalies on the roster and uses them as a trio rather than the usual tandem. That approach fits the uncertainty of the position and the different stages these three are in.
Andersen arrives as the veteran of the group. The 36-year-old is fresh off a Stanley Cup win with the Carolina Hurricanes, but the concerns are obvious: age, injuries, and some decline in performance. Even so, he has long shown he can steady a crease, and if he does that again, he probably enters the season as Edmonton’s top option - or at least a 1B.
Jarry is the lone returning goalie from last season, and he has plenty to prove after a rough start in Edmonton. In 19 games, he went 9-6-2 with a .857 save percentage. He came in last December expected to be the starter, but Connor Ingram took the job from him, and despite the struggles, Jarry appeared in just one playoff game.
Levi brings a different kind of upside. He built a huge reputation as a prospect, starred for Canada internationally, and was dominant in NCAA hockey.
He has cooled off since then as he’s tried to lock down an NHL job, but the talent is still there. In 36 NHL starts, he has a 17-17-2 record with a 3.29 GAA and .894 save percentage.
What makes this group interesting is how different each goalie’s career arc looks. Levi is still trying to establish himself, Jarry is trying to get back on track in the middle of his career, and Andersen is nearing the finish line. That mix creates real possibilities.
Andersen looks like the likeliest candidate to open camp with the No. 1 job because of his experience, his recent championship, and his history with new head coach Mike Babcock. But Jarry has more than 300 games of NHL experience, most of them as the Pittsburgh Penguins’ starter, and if he benefits from a more stable Oilers defense and rediscovers his game, he could grab the crease again. That would matter even more because of the price general manager Stan Bowman paid to bring him in.
Levi, meanwhile, could be the one who takes the biggest step forward. He would be playing behind a team that is better than the 2023-24 and 2024-25 Buffalo Sabres, and that kind of environment could help him finally turn potential into production. If either Jarry or Andersen hits a wall, Levi could be the one to seize the job.
Compared with last season, when the Oilers began with Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard, this setup offers more reasons for optimism. It’s still cautious optimism, though, because the team could just as easily end up in a difficult spot depending on how camp unfolds and how the season develops. For now, at least, Edmonton has options and a little bit of hope in net.
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Oilers May Use A Familiar Face To Solve A Camp Dilemma
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Curtis Lazar fits that description well. He has already worn an Oilers sweater and remains unsigned, making him an easy name to circle if Edmonton wants experience in a bottom-six role and some comfort in the camp competition. The appeal is obvious, even if the final decision still hinges on whether the organization wants to keep looking inward or give a known depth option another shot. [Read more 🡒]