The Edmonton Oilers have one of the best rosters in the NHL, but their goaltending has been an issue.
Edmonton is in their Stanley Cup window with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl leading the charge, but the Oilers need to solidify their goaltending.
Just three games into the 2026-27 NHL season, the Oilers should look to make a move for a goalie.
Trade Pitch Has Edmonton Oilers Adding Stud Goalie
The Oilers entered the season with Tristan Jarry and Devon Levi as their goalies, while Frederik Andersen is injured. However, Edmonton needs to make a big move for a goalie, so Heavy.com has a trade idea that sees them acquiring Filip Gustavsson from the Minnesota Wild.
Oilers acquire:
Wild acquire:
- Tristan Jarry
- Tommy Lafreniere
- Beau Akey
- 2028 first-round pick
The proposed deal is a blockbuster as Edmonton would acquire Gustavsson, while the Wild would take back Jarry to serve as their backup, two prospects, and a first-round pick.
Gustavsson is in the first year of his five-year, $34 million deal, but he could be on the move as Jesper Wallstedt is the Wild’s starting goalie. Gustavsson would be a major upgrade and a true No. 1 goalie for the Oilers. The Swede went 28-15-6 with a 2.69 GAA and a .904 SV% last season.
The big part of the return for the Wild would be the first-round pick and the prospects. Lafreniere is one of the Oilers’ top prospects, as the 19-year-old was selected in the third round of the 2025 NHL Draft. The right winger will play for Western Michigan in the NCAA this season.
Akey, meanwhile, was selected in the second round of the 2023 NHL Draft and could reach the NHL this season. He’s projected to be a third-pairing defenseman, but he can add some depth to the Wild’s system. Akey recorded 2 goals and 8 assists for 10 points in 42 games in the AHL a year ago.
Jarry, meanwhile, would be dealt to make the math work and also serve as the backup. He’s in the fourth year of a five-year, $26.88 million deal.
Mike Babcock Takes Blame for Edmonton’s Defensive Woes
The Oilers have struggled in goal to begin the year, as Jarry and Levi were brutal in their first starts.
Although both goalies struggled, Oilers head coach Mike Babcock took the blame, as he said it was on the coaches.
“I think it’s coaching. I think it’s coaching,” Babcock said when asked after practice Friday morning about the Oilers’ defensive issues. “Do I want to give up all those goals? No. Not really interested in that, but the bottom line is it gives us something to work on and get better. If it wasn’t this early, I might be (worried), but we’ll get back to work and worry about it later.”
The Oilers are off to a 2-0-1 start.
Trade Pitch Sees Oilers Acquiring $34M Goalie in Blockbuster Move