It was their biggest position of need, and it looks as though the Edmonton Oilers have taken a major step toward addressing it.
Just minutes ago, it was reported that Oilers general manager Stan Bowman has signed goaltender Frederik Andersen, who recently helped lead the Carolina Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup, to a one-year contract.
The news was first reported on X by former goaltender and current NHL Insider Kevin Weekes.
Andersen started every game for the Hurricanes during their title run until he was pulled in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Vegas Golden Knights; Brandon Bussi then took over the starting responsibilities from that point on.
Frederik Andersen Has Been Signed By The Edmonton Oilers To A One-Year Contract
Andersen, who was originally taken by the Hurricanes with the 187th overall pick in the 2010 NHL Draft, eventually re-entered the Draft two years later and would be selected in the third round (87th overall) by the Anaheim Ducks.
Andersen would play for several seasons with the Ducks, helping them reach the Western Conference Final in 2015 before bowing out to the Chicago Blackhawks. After eventually being replaced as the starter in the Anaheim crease by John Gibson, Andersen was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2016 and locked down with a five-year contract.
With Andersen between the pipes, the Maple Leafs made the Stanley Cup Playoffs every season, but were never able to move past the first round; their losses included consecutive Game 7 setbacks in 2018 and 2019 against the Boston Bruins.
But he made his way back to the Hurricanes in 2021, signing a two-year contract and later earned a trip to the 2022 NHL All-Star game. He also became the first goaltender in NHL history to win his first eight games with a new team.
Andersen, who was re-signed by the Hurricanes to a one-year contract during last spring’s postseason, backstopped Carolina to the Stanley Cup Final with a sparkling 12-1 record through the first 13 games of the postseason, which included sweeps of the Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers.
But after allowing four goals in Game 3 of the Final, including a hat trick by his former Maple Leafs teammate Mitch Marner, he was replaced by Bussi, who remained in Carolina’s crease for the remainder of the series.
But his name is now forever on the Stanley Cup, becoming the first Danish-born goaltender to receive the honor.
He’s gone 324-149-58 with a 2.59 goals-against average, a .913 save percentage, and 28 shutouts across 552 career regular-season games.
Is Frederik Andersen The Solution In Goal For Edmonton?
Andersen, who had spent the last several seasons as a member of the Hurricanes, arrives in Edmonton at a critical point for the franchise. Not only did they fire head coach Kris Knoblauch and assistant coach Mark Stuart, but they’ve also hired Mike Babcock as their new head coach, along with D.J. Smith as an assistant.
Andersen’s signing reunites him with Babcock, who coached him during his time with the Maple Leafs.
Additionally, they also traded defenseman Darnell Nurse to the San Jose Sharks, while allowing goaltender Connor Ingram to enter free agency. To address their goaltending depth, they also acquired Devon Levi from the Buffalo Sabres, though he’s expected to challenge for starting time with the American Hockey League affiliate Bakersfield Condors.
Breaking: Oilers Sign Stanley Cup-Winning Goaltender