The Edmonton Oilers are turning to a new face in goal for their rematch with the Vancouver Canucks.
Devon Levi will make his first start of the season and his Oilers debut when Edmonton takes on Vancouver in Game 2. The move comes after the Oilers opened the year with a loss, then nearly erased it in dramatic fashion. Edmonton stormed back late to tie the game 5-5 before eventually falling in overtime.
That opener had plenty going on, starting with Evan Bouchard’s five-point night. The defenceman put together a huge performance as he begins what the Oilers are hoping will be a redemption year, with Bouchard chasing the Norris Trophy. Vasily Podkolzin also stood out after getting a real chance to push for a breakout season.
The biggest concern, though, came in net. Veteran Tristan Jarry took a rough night personally and was on the wrong end of the result after allowing six goals on 23 shots. He finished with a .739 save percentage, a line that did little to help his bid for a bounce-back season.
Now the crease belongs to Levi, at least for one night. The 24-year-old was acquired by Edmonton this summer and arrives with a decorated background, having won goaltender of the year twice and finished as a finalist for the Hobey Baker award as NCAA MVP two times. With Frederik Andersen reported to be out long-term, Levi has a clear opening to make a strong early case for the starting job.
Jarry’s numbers since joining the Oilers haven’t helped his grip on the role either. After coming over in a mid-season trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins last year, he has gone 9-6-3 in 17 starts with one shutout and an .851 save percentage.
Edmonton’s injury list keeps growing, too. Zach Hyman will miss Thursday’s game against the Canucks after getting hurt in the preseason finale against the Calgary Flames, and he could be out for as long as two weeks even though he has not formally been placed on injured reserve.
The Oilers also announced that Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has been placed on injured reserve, while Matt Savoie and Alec Regula were moved to long-term injured reserve. Mattias Janmark and Jason Dickinson are also sidelined with injuries.
To help cover the absences, Edmonton recalled Josh Samanski from the Bakersfield Condors on an emergency basis. He will make his 2026-27 season debut on Thursday as well.
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Mike Babcock, though, was not interested in celebrating the mood around the arena after the loss. The Oilers coach turned his focus straight to the other end of the ice and made it clear he expected more from his team without the puck, leaving the performance as much a warning as a takeaway for a club that already knows its margin for error can be thin. [Read more 🡒]
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Oilers Suddenly Face A Bigger Nugent-Hopkins Concern Than Fans Expected
The Oilers forward depth took another hit Monday when Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was placed on injured reserve after a lower-body injury suffered late in practice. The timing adds another layer of concern for Edmonton, which has already been managing a crowded injury list and now has to navigate a stretch without one of its most reliable two-way centers, with the expectation being that the absence could last about two weeks.
Josh Samanski was recalled under emergency conditions to help fill the gap up front, giving the Oilers another temporary option while the lineup stays in flux. Edmonton also has Matt Savoie and Alec Regula on long-term injured reserve with month-to-month timelines, so Nugent-Hopkins status only sharpens the pressure on a depth chart that is already being tested in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]