The Edmonton Oilers are heading into next season with a goalie setup that doesn’t look like the usual two-man split. GM Stan Bowman went a different direction, keeping the net crowded with Frederik Andersen, Tristan Jarry and Devon Levi all in the mix.
That means new head coach Mike Babcock is going to have to manage a three-goalie rotation and find the right balance for all three. With the NHL shifting from an 82-game schedule to 84 games for the 2026-27 season, the workload picture is already a little different than it used to be.
Andersen looks like the clear leader of the group. The 36-year-old arrives after an impressive Stanley Cup run with the Carolina Hurricanes and is the most proven option Edmonton has.
Even so, this doesn’t sound like a season where he’ll be pushed into the kind of heavy workload he used to carry. Andersen said in his introductory press conference that his days of playing 50 or 60 games are behind him, and age plus recent injury trouble both point to a lighter load.
A reasonable range for him is about 30 to 35 starts, with health and performance obviously able to move that number.
Jarry is the wild card. Edmonton is banking on a rebound after things went sideways following his trade to the Oilers last December, when he quickly lost the starting job to Connor Ingram.
The upside is still there, though. Jarry has already shown he can be a strong NHL goalie, including a strong start last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins before his game fell apart in Edmonton.
The expectation is that he’ll be the second-most-used goalie behind Andersen, and he should get enough work to try to rebuild his confidence. That points to roughly 25 to 30 starts, though another rough stretch could put him in danger of being waived to the AHL, just like Jack Campbell a few seasons ago.
Levi is the youngest piece of the puzzle and the one Edmonton can afford to bring along more carefully. The 24-year-old may not be ready to handle a full-time NHL starting role yet, but the Oilers’ trade for him gives him a real shot at his biggest opportunity so far.
His waiver-eligibility should help keep him in the NHL for most of the season, and while he’ll probably spend plenty of nights as the backup, he should still get spot starts to keep the veterans fresh. He also gives Edmonton insurance if Andersen gets hurt or Jarry slips again.
A fair target for Levi is 15 to 20 starts, with room to climb if he catches fire or the situation changes around him.
If everything goes according to plan, Andersen handles the heaviest share, Jarry gets a meaningful chance to reset, and Levi grows into a bigger role down the road. That bigger opportunity could come in 2027-28, when Andersen comes off the books.
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