Team

Betting

OilersNation has no direct affiliation to the Edmonton Oilers, Oilers Entertainment Group, NHL, or NHLPA

Oilers building goaltending pipeline with Emil Vinni signing

Photo credit: Photo Credit: Pasi Mennander

By Liam Horrobin

Aug 14, 2026, 16:00 EDTUpdated: Aug 14, 2026, 17:45 EDT

Comments

The Emil Vinni signing news came as a surprise earlier this week. Not because of Vinni’s ability, but because of the logjam the Edmonton Oilers already have between the pipes.

You’ve probably forgotten, but Vinni was the No. 1 European goaltender heading into the 2024 NHL Draft. After no goaltenders went in the first round, the Oilers took him 64th overall. The highest pick they spent on a goaltender since Olivier Rodrigue, 62nd overall in 2022.

Over the past few years, Edmonton has adopted the philosophy of drafting a goaltender every year, with Vinni making it the third year in a row a goaltender was selected. Now, that streak has grown to five, with the Daniel Salonen and Ryan Cameron selections. It’s a good group with promising potential.

Why did the Edmonton Oilers sign Emil Vinni despite goaltending depth?

Vinni’s signing means Edmonton has eight goaltenders split between their three professional teams. We can obviously eliminate Frederik Andersen, Devon Levi and Tristan Jarry. They’re locked into the NHL team. That leaves Vinni, Connor Ungar, Nathaniel Day, Samuel Jonsson and veteran goaltender Matt Tomkins.

Vinni is an interesting case. He had major back surgery before the 2024 draft, yet the Oilers still selected him. After the surgery, he only played nine games in the 2024–25 season in Finland. His workload increased to 21 games last season, with 17 for JokP in Mestis, Finland’s second division. He shared the crease there with two other goaltenders, getting the second-most games played.

JokP looks to have two goaltenders signed for next season. Does that mean Vinni would’ve been caught in a busy crease again? My lack of knowledge of the Finnish second division can’t find an answer. However, in theory, if that was the case, then why not have him in a busy crease here? Perhaps that’s the Oilers’ mindset.

Mestis plays 49 games a season. The AHL and ECHL play 72. There’s much more opportunity for playing time in North America than Finland, right now, for Vinni.

The Bakersfield Condors finished the 2026 season with a three-goalie rotation: Tomkins, Unger and Pickard. Not ideal, considering you have two veterans, but it was done. Tomkins played the most with 42 starts, Unger had 13, and Pickard had eight.

What will happen with Samuel Jonsson?

There was speculation about Samuel Jonsson online too, which could be why the Oilers signed Vinni. Komets Khronicles on X allegedly claims Jonsson told fans last season that he is heading back to Sweden this upcoming season. He is under contract, signing an entry-level deal last April. No official news has been released about this yet.

Edmonton drafted Jonsson 158th overall in the 2022 NHL Draft. He won the HockeyAllsvenskan Goalie of the Year award in 2025. Then, he followed that up by becoming an ECHL All-Star in his first season with the Fort Wayne Komets. Losing him to Sweden would be a blow to the Oilers’ current minor league goaltending plan.

The Oilers shouldn’t be in a rush to move on from Tomkins, either. Of course, Tomkins doesn’t have regular NHL goaltending ability, nor is he a prospect at 32 years old. However, don’t disregard experience. He’s a former seventh-round pick from the AJHL who has managed to claw out a respectable 10-year career, and counting, with a with a dozen NHL starts.

He’s a good, experienced goaltender who can help in the development of youngsters. Maybe it gets to a point where Tomkins wants out because he isn’t playing enough, but let’s get to that point first. Don’t put the cart in front of the horse. Find out what you have in these younger goaltenders and then make a decision.

This could be an opportunity

Vinni is only 20 years old. He’s not long removed from a major injury and was playing in Finland’s second division. The Oilers spent draft capital on this kid, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that they want him closer to home. The North American minor leagues are a step up from what he was playing, and they can monitor his progress health-wise.

The Vinni signing doesn’t necessarily mean Edmonton has a problem in goal. It could mean the organization sees an opportunity. They spent a second round pick on him two years ago, and now they finally have a chance to bring him into their development system.

The Oilers want to find out what they have in Vinni. Now, they’ll get that chance.

SIGN UP NOW FOR THE NATION GOLF TOURNAMENT

The Nation Golf Tournament driven by GMC is back Friday, August 28, 2026! Which means it’s once again socially acceptable to skip work on a Friday for “networking.” Join us on Friday, August 28, 2026, at Mill Woods Golf Course for an 18-hole Texas scramble shotgun start, questionable swing decisions, and enough chirping to last the entire offseason. Grab your squad and sign up now at nationexperiences.ca before it sells out!