Frederik Andersen is headed to Edmonton on a one-year deal, giving the Oilers a veteran goaltender who found his best form when it mattered most in Carolina’s 2026 Stanley Cup run.
Kevin Weekes was first to report the agreement. The contract carries a $1 million base and includes another $1.8 million in performance bonuses.
Andersen, 36, spent five seasons with the Hurricanes and worked mostly as their starter, posting a .906 save percentage across 159 appearances. His regular-season results slipped over the last three years because of injuries and inconsistency, with blood clots in 2023 and a knee injury that required surgery in 2024 both playing a role. Even so, he bounced back in time for the 2026 playoffs and became a major reason Carolina made its push.
He started 13 of the Hurricanes’ 16 playoff wins, helping guide the team through the first three rounds while allowing 20 goals on 289 shots and going 12-1. A knee issue then knocked him out of Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Vegas Golden Knights, opening the door for Brandon Bussi. Bussi took over and won all three of his starts, including a 22-save shutout in Game 6.
Carolina’s goaltending picture now looks different. Bussi and Pyotr Kochetkov are the two remaining contracted goalies with NHL experience, while Cayden Primeau, who previously played for the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs, is a restricted free agent.
Andersen’s presence in the Cup handoff also said plenty about how much he meant to that run. When Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal made the first Stanley Cup pass, he gave it to Andersen, who was also dealing with the death of longtime agent and friend Claude Lemieux. Lemieux died on May 28 during the Eastern Conference final against the Montreal Canadiens.
“(Andersen has) been grinding the longest,” Staal said. “He got us going in the playoffs. … Figured he’d be a great start (to give the Cup to him first).
Now Andersen moves on after 13 NHL seasons, two All-Star selections and a career .913 save percentage. He broke in with the Anaheim Ducks and established himself as a dependable starter over three seasons before landing with the Toronto Maple Leafs. From his rookie season in 2013-14 through his first year in Carolina in 2021-22, his save percentage fell below .914 only twice.
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