Erik Johnson’s Saturday Headlines take on the Edmonton Oilers’ goaltending drew plenty of attention, and not for the right reasons.
Johnson said the Oilers should go after Jordan Binnington of the St. Louis Blues, or, if not him, Juuse Saros of the Nashville Predators.
He made the case bluntly: “I think he still has some gas left in the tank. If I’m Edmonton, I’m doing absolutely everything I can to get this guy, or even a Saros out of Nashville.”
That idea didn’t exactly land. Fans piled on afterward, and the reaction matched what the panel seemed to be thinking in the moment: this was a big miss.
Binnington’s résumé is real, but his current form is hard to ignore. In five games this season, he has a 4.27 goals-against average and an .851 save percentage.
He’s lost the starting job to Joel Hofer, who has played 12 games and posted a 2.36 goals against with a .919 save percentage. At this point, Binnington looks far closer to a goalie in decline than a rental worth chasing.
Saros is a different conversation, but not an easy one. He has the stronger numbers, yet that doesn’t mean Nashville is eager to move him.
He has a full no-move and is tied to a long-term contract worth $7.74 million per season. That’s a heavy lift for any team, even one that sees him as the more proven option.
The bigger issue is that Edmonton doesn’t appear to be desperate in net right now.
Devon Levi came back for the Oilers and delivered in a 4-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night. He looked composed, steady and ready to step back into the starter’s role after his injury. Tristan Jarry has also been better this season than he was last year, giving Edmonton solid coverage while Levi was out.
That leaves the Oilers in a pretty good spot, with Frederik Andersen also working his way back from injury. Once he’s available, Edmonton will have a crowded crease and some real decisions to make. If all three are performing well, there’s a fair question about where Andersen fits at all.
Under those circumstances, the idea of moving one of those pieces just to take a swing on Binnington feels extreme. And even if Edmonton’s goaltending did wobble, Binnington probably still wouldn’t be the answer.
Johnson may not have fully clocked how stable the Oilers’ situation is right now. Edmonton might eventually decide these three goalies aren’t the fix for its Stanley Cup problems, but Stan Bowman doesn’t seem likely to rush into a deal for a Blues netminder who has been worse than what the Oilers already have.
Johnson was strong on the panel overall. This one, though, was a swing and a miss.
In Other News...
Oilers Get The Win They Needed But One Concern Just Grew
The Oilers got the kind of result they needed with a 4-2 win over Vancouver, and they did it with a few familiar pieces back in the mix. Connor McDavid kept his run rolling with another multi-point night, extending both his point and assist streak while helping set up goals for Mattias Ekholm and Leon Draisaitl. Devon Levi was back in net and gave Edmonton a solid enough return, turning aside 20 of 22 shots, while Zach Hyman also rejoined the lineup and chipped in an assist.
Even with the victory, the game carried a little more edge than the final score suggested. Edmontons offense looked sharp enough to keep control, but the night ended with one of the clubs regular contributors unavailable for the third period after taking a puck to the face, a reminder that the lineup remains a moving target even when the standings points come through. For a team trying to build momentum, the win mattered, but so did the concern that came with it. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Make A Blue Line Move That Puts Depth In Focus
The Oilers made a blue-line move that underscores how much roster depth matters early in the season, placing defenceman Atro Leppnen on waivers. Leppnen, who signed a one-year contract extension over the summer, has not yet appeared this season while working back from injury, leaving Edmonton to sort out where he fits once he is healthy enough to return.
If he clears waivers, Leppnen would head to the AHLs Bakersfield Condors, a familiar next step for a player trying to get his game back on track. For the Oilers, the decision keeps the focus on managing depth on defence while waiting to see how the rest of the roster settles in around him. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Suddenly Have A Goalie Decision As Help Arrives Up Front
The Oilers got a timely lift on both ends of the roster heading into their game against Vancouver, with Devon Levi and Zach Hyman coming off injured reserve. Levi, who was acquired in the offseason and had been handling the crease before his injury, gives Edmonton another option in goal, while Hymans return from a neck injury adds a needed jolt up front after he missed several games.
The roster shuffle to make room for those moves sent Matt Tomkins down to the AHLs Bakersfield Condors, and it leaves Edmonton with a fresh decision in net as the lineup gets healthier. Hymans presence should help the Oilers forward group, but the bigger immediate question is how the team chooses to manage the crease now that Levi is back in the mix. [Read more 🡒]