This season for the Edmonton Oilers is about getting things right so that Connor McDavid and company have the best chance possible to win a Stanley Cup before it’s too late and their superstar leaves town.
There’s a problem, though, and everyone knows it: The Oilers don’t have good enough goalies.
Tristan Jarry was traded for midway through last season from the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Devon Levi was traded for in the offseason from the Buffalo Sabres.
Both came with some level of promise but also some flaw that made them available in the first place. And both certainly look flawed so far with the Oilers.
It’s the kind of thing that can ruin an entire season, and that’s not an exaggeration.
Oilers Warned About Goalies
Sportsnet’s Michael Amato wrote in a new article that “poor goaltending could derail Oilers season.”
He sure seems to be right about that.
“It’s only been a few games, but the concerns are already mounting in the Edmonton Oilers crease,” Amato writes. “Six goals went past Tristan Jarry on opening night as the Oilers lost to an inspired Canucks squad, who finished 32nd last season and figure to be right around the league’s basement again this year. Edmonton got a second crack at the Canucks two days later, and Devon Levi had a worse outing than Jarry, allowing seven to tickle the twine. It took the Oilers 14 goals in two games just to secure one victory. That’s not sustainable.”
Amato notes that part of the problem is that the Oilers didn’t do a ton this offseason to improve. Levi has potential but is unproven, and Edmonton had already watched Jarry struggle down the stretch last year. They also got Frederik Andersen, but he’s hurt.
“Despite Jarry struggling mightily in 2025-26 after arriving in Edmonton, the Oilers again chose to only look for a Band-Aid solution this past off-season,” Amato writes. “Frederik Andersen is a fine option when he’s available, but as we know, that’s rare. He hasn’t appeared in more than 35 games since 2021-22, and Andersen is already on the shelf with an ailment. Levi is a good bet, and he had a much stronger outing Saturday, though he’s largely unproven and would be considered a long shot to carry the load between the pipes. It’s very possible the Oilers are again searching for answers in net as this season wears on.”
Is This Fixable?
This take by Amato is part of an article in which he lists his overreactions to the start of the season and judges whether it’s valid. In this case, he determines it’s not an overreaction to be worried that goalies will ruin Edmonton’s season.
It’d be hard to fix with outside help, especially this early in the year.
The Oilers will simply need their own players to be better.
“Edmonton’s biggest move this off-season wasn’t on the ice, as they are banking on new head coach Mike Babcock to provide a huge lift to this group,” Amato writes. “Although if night one was any indication, there’s really no coach who can compensate for shaky goaltending. That begs the question: Why again did the Oilers not address the position to a greater extent this summer? Yes, they did add two goalies, but neither give you a reasonable amount of confidence that Jarry wouldn’t once again end up seeing the majority of the playing time.”
The Oilers can score a lot of goals, but not enough to keep up with a super leaky net. Their season could depend on the goaltending improving in a hurry.
Oilers Warned About Goalies Amid Tristan Jarry, Devon Levi Concerns