The Edmonton Oilers had one major mission heading into this offseason: Get a high-end starting goaltender.
Well, GM Stan Bowman didn’t quite do that. Edmonton ended up signing a Stanley Cup-winning goalie, yes, but one with a long track history of injuries.
And now, that major free-agent signing, Frederik Andersen, is already blowing up for the Oilers.
The team announced on Wednesday that Andersen, along with three other players, would not be attending training camp this fall. According to a report by NHL.com, Andersen is rehabbing an injury that occurred during an offseason training session.
Oh boy… Andersen hasn’t even played a game for the Oilers this season, and he’s already on the shelf. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. If Andersen misses the entire camp, there’s no telling how far back it would set his timeline for action this upcoming season.
At the moment, there’s no timeline on when the 36-year-old goalie with a long injury history could see action. In the meantime, the Oiles will have to roll with Tristan Jarry and Devon Levi, as they, well, really don’t have any other choice. The organization was counting on Andersen to be ready for the start of the season.
Unfortunately, that does not seem to be the case. And it will likely force an uncomfortable conversation.
Edmonton Knew Andersen Was a Risk
There was always going to be some risk attached to bringing Frederik Andersen to Edmonton.
The Oilers weren’t signing a goalie with a spotless health record. They were betting that a 36-year-old veteran with a long history of injuries could stay healthy enough to give them the kind of goaltending they needed to compete for a Stanley Cup.
That gamble is already looking questionable.
Andersen’s injury history was hardly a secret. In fact, his most recent postseason ended with another injury. During the Stanley Cup Final, Andersen was forced out, leaving Brandon Bussi to step into the spotlight for the final two games of the series.
Bussi managed to become something of a hero in that situation.
But that’s not exactly the scenario Edmonton wants to recreate.
The Oilers signed Andersen because they needed reliability in net. Instead, they’re starting the season with questions about whether their presumed starter will even be ready to participate in training camp.
That’s a pretty concerning development for a team with championship aspirations.
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The Oilers’ Goaltending Uncertainty Could Get Worse
The problem for the Oilers is that Andersen’s injury doesn’t leave them with particularly reassuring alternatives.
Tristan Jarry is the obvious candidate to take on more responsibility while Andersen is unavailable. That’s not necessarily great news for Edmonton, considering Jarry is coming off a difficult season and hasn’t exactly established himself as the dependable starter the organization needs.
Then there’s Devon Levi.
The former highly regarded prospect has plenty of talent, but his NHL career hasn’t developed the way many expected. At this point, calling Levi an unproven goaltender might actually be generous. The Oilers simply don’t know what they’re going to get from him over an extended stretch.
That’s what makes Andersen’s injury so problematic.
If he’s back quickly, this could eventually become nothing more than an annoying preseason storyline. But if his absence stretches into the regular season, Edmonton could suddenly find itself relying heavily on two goalies who carry significant question marks.
The Oilers didn’t spend the offseason looking for another goaltending problem.
Unfortunately, that’s exactly what they’ve got.
Oilers Major Free-Agent Signing Already Blowing Up