Many Canadian hockey fans remember the first time they heard the name Devon Levi.

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, while the 2021 Canada World Juniors Team iced a roster featuring 20 first-round draft picks, it was Levi, a seventh-round draft pick, who stole the spotlight. Seemingly out of nowhere, he earned the tournament’s top goaltender honours, breaking the save percentage record, posting a .964.

He followed this up with one of the greatest two-year stretches in NCAA history, becoming the only goaltender to win the Mike Richter Award twice. By August 2023, NHL.com ranked him as the league’s best under-23 goaltender, appearing destined to become a No. 1 goalie.

Fast forward to summer 2026, and at 24 years old, the Sabres were willing to move Levi to the Edmonton Oilers for just a third-round pick.

While the once-highly touted goaltender has undoubtedly struggled to establish himself at the NHL level, Frederik Andersen’s injury, which is expected to keep him out until late October, may give Levi the golden opportunity he needs.

Long story short, Devon Levi is not the “sure thing” many thought he was a few years ago. But there are several reasons Oilers fans should be optimistic that he could be the team’s answer in goal.

While his traditional NHL goalie stats — a career 3.29 goals-against-average and .894 save percentage — leave plenty to be desired, his advanced stats paint a more encouraging picture. Through 39 NHL games, Levi owns a 5.8 goals saved above expected, a metric that accounts for the quality of shots a goaltender faces. Even more encouraging, in 2023-24 he saved 10.7 goals above expected, ranking 13th among goaltenders despite appearing in just 23 games.

His career AHL numbers are also very solid for a young goaltender, as he carries a .914 save percentage over 120 games. That said, Levi’s most recent season came with some struggles and no NHL call-up, but his head coach, Michael Leone, was still complimentary of his play: “I know people look at the numbers, and maybe they’re down a bit, but he’s given us a chance every game he’s played.”

The Oilers aren’t acquiring the can’t-miss prospect Levi once appeared to be. They’re betting that at just 24 years old, there’s a breakthrough coming.

When Stan Bowman confirmed the team would be carrying three goaltenders this year, it wasn’t difficult to see who would be the third fiddle.

Not only do Frederik Andersen and Tristan Jarry have hundreds more NHL games of experience than Levi, but new head coach Mike Babcock also has a long history with Andersen. His trust in Andersen is well documented, with the veteran playing at least 60 games in each season under Babcock, making it easy to envision the 36-year-old getting every opportunity to take control of Edmonton’s starter’s crease.

But his injury changes that. With the Stanley Cup champion sidelined until late October, Levi has a golden opportunity in training camp and the first month of the season to showcase that he’s ready for primetime.

His immediate competition? Tristan Jarry.

Jarry posted an .857 save percentage in 19 appearances after joining Edmonton last season, the type of performance that doesn’t automatically earn him the crease in camp. Might Babcock rely on his experience advantage? Sure. But his hold on the number-one job would hardly be secure.

If Levi can carry his AHL success into training camp and outperform Jarry, the 24-year-old may force Babcock’s hand and give him meaningful starts. And if he performs once he gets them, Andersen’s eventual return becomes a much more complicated decision.

For a goalie who has spent the past few years waiting for another legitimate NHL opportunity, the door may have just swung wide open.

Levi’s college and AHL track record suggest there’s legitimate number-one goaltender upside in his game, something the Oilers have spent years searching for. That’s what makes this opportunity more than simply filling in until Andersen returns. Andersen is 36, and on a one-year contract, while Jarry hasn’t exactly cemented himself as Edmonton’s long-term solution in net.

While the hype around Levi has cooled over the past few seasons, it’s easy to forget he is still just 24 years old. If he takes advantage of Andersen’s absence and grabs hold of the net in October, Levi could give the Oilers more than a temporary solution. He could force his way into their long-term plans.

It’s a position Levi has found himself in before. When asked about being overlooked earlier in his career, he summed up his approach to opportunity quite simply:

“I made sure when I got my opportunity, I would take advantage of it.”