The Edmonton Oilers need to address their goaltending situation this offseason.
Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of good options in free agency, with Jake Allen and Alex Lyon being the notable standouts on the unrestricted free agent market. The Oilers can’t offer sheet anyone as they don’t have any of their picks until the sixth round.
That leaves the Oilers with one option – acquiring a starting-calibre goaltender through trade. Let’s take a look at five goaltenders the Oilers could target from around the league.
John Gibson
Anaheim Ducks’ netminder John Gibson was linked to the Oilers throughout the season. In November, The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported that Gibson would consider waiving his no-move clause to join the Oilers. Toward the trade deadline, it was reported that Gibson had (has?) interest in joining the Oilers if he is their starter.
The Oilers ultimately stuck with Calvin Pickard and Stuart Skinner, making it all the way to Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final despite a sub-900 save percentage. It’s hard to blame the Oilers’ defeat all on Skinner and Pickard, but it’s one of many “what ifs”.
Shockingly, Gibson’s name has been in the rumour mill, as The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta reported on Sportsnet 960 that the Ducks would be open to retaining a portion of Gibson’s contract.
Simply put, there are better options on the market. At one point, Mackenzie Blackwood was available, but the Colorado Avalanche pounced on that. Even now, there are better and cheaper options.
Last season, Gibson had a .912 save percentage and 2.73 goals against average in just 29 games with the Ducks, posting an 11-11-2 record. Good enough, right? Well, this was Gibson’s first season with a save percentage above .905. His advanced stats aren’t too encouraging either, as he had a -60.8 goals saved above expected from 2019-20 until 2023-24.
Add the fact that he has two seasons left at $6.4 million a season and dealt with injuries last season, and you have a recipe for disaster. The Ducks may be looking to ship off Gibson because of Lukáš Dostál, a 25-year-old restricted free agent who is ready to start the majority of the Ducks’ games.
Joey Daccord
Another goaltender in the Pacific Division could be a better option for the Oilers. Seattle Kraken’s Joey Daccord is a 28-year-old netminder who has quietly put up good numbers over the last two seasons. In 2023-24, he played 50 games with a .916 save percentage, and followed that up with a .906 save percentage and 2.73 goals against average in 57 games this season. It’s worth noting that Daccord had a .911 save percentage before his final three games, during which he allowed six or more goals in two of the three games.
Despite a lower save percentage than Gibson’s, Daccord’s underlying stats are far more encouraging, as he had a 19.1 Goals Saved Above Expected, higher than Gibson’s 15.3 GSAE.
That said, Daccord will cost more in terms of assets as the Kraken don’t have a young emerging netminder like the Ducks do. Moreover, Daccord signed a five-year, $25 million deal early in the 2024-25 season.
Thatcher Demko
It’s been a tough 15 months for Thatcher Demko. Toward the end of the 2023-24 season, he went down with a knee injury, tried to return for the first game of the postseason, and didn’t play another game until December 10.
Demko didn’t perform well when healthy, as he had an .889 save percentage and 2.90 goals against average in 23 games, with a 10-8-3 record. That said, Demko had a .918 save percentage and 2.45 goals against average in 51 games last season, earning a Vezina Trophy nomination. He finished with a 22 GSAE in 2023-24, the second-best total behind Connor Hellebuyck.
In 2024-25, the Vancouver Canucks turned to Kevin Lankinen, whose strong play earned him a five-year, $22.5 million deal. The Canucks also have Artūrs Šilovs, who has an incredible .931 save percentage and 2.01 in the American Hockey League postseason.
The 2025-26 season will be Demko’s final in his five-year, $25 million deal. He earns $5 million a season, but the Canucks may think it’s better to shed his cap to improve their roster, even if it means trading Demko to a Pacific Division rival.
Feb 12, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team Canada goalie Jordan Binnington (50) looks on against Team Sweden in the second period during a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
Jordan Binnington
Like John Gibson, Jordan Binnington was another goaltender whose name popped up around the trade deadline.
Last season, Binnington finished with a .900 save percentage and 2.69 goals against average, helping the St. Louis Blues reach the postseason. Binnington was also Team Canada’s starting netminder in the 4 Nations Face-Off, making numerous big saves in overtime before Connor McDavid won it in overtime.
Binnington has been a big-game performer in the past, going on an insane run in his first full season to help the Blues go from the bottom of the standings to their first Stanley Cup in franchise history.
The 2025-26 season will be Binnington’s penultimate season on his six-year, $36 million deal with a cap hit of $6 million. He has a 14-team no-trade list, and the Blues may choose to retain him as they are a playoff team. They do have a 24-year-old netminder, Joel Hofer, who has served as their backup the past two seasons.
Jeremy Swayman
It’s clear that the Boston Bruins will spend a few seasons at the bottom of the standings. Before the trade deadline, they traded long-time player and their captain, Brad Marchand, to the Florida Panthers, so you can thank them for the Oilers falling short in the playoffs.
If they have a fire sale, which seems like a possibility, Jeremy Swayman is a netminder the Oilers should be all over. His .892 save percentage and 3.11 goals against average in 58 games last season weren’t good, but he missed pre-season due to a contract dispute. In the end, Swayman signed an eight-year, $66 million deal with a cap hit of $8.25 million.
So why bother with him? Well, Swayman was fantastic in 2023-24, posting a .916 save percentage in 44 games last season, finishing with an 18.4 GSAE, third-best in the league. Coming into this season, Swayman had a career .919 save percentage and 2.34 goals against average in 132 games.
This is the type of goaltender the Oilers should be targeting this off-season, as he likely doesn’t have the same value as a few of these other goalies, considering his contract and where the Bruins are. Still, he’s a good bet to bounce back.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Oilersnation, FlamesNation, and Blue Jays Nation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.
Presented by Litco Law
Litco Law has been serving Edmontonians and all of Alberta for over 50 years. A family-owned and operated company, their purpose is to balance the power for people who find themselves having to navigate the complex legal system. They can help with personal injury claims (like car accidents), employment matters (such as wrongful dismissal or severance package reviews), or if you’ve been denied long-term disability benefits. Litco Law is known for being experienced, responsive, and genuinely caring. You might not believe Lawyers You’ll Love™ exist—but they do. To learn more or book a free consultation, visit LitcoLaw.com.
