After revamping their goaltending group over the last calendar year — trading Stuart Skinner last December and letting Calvin Pickard walk as a free agent — the Edmonton Oilers planned to run with three goaltenders for 2026-27: Tristan Jarry, Frederik Andersen, and Devon Levi.

They’ll have to begin with two, however, as Andersen is still working his way back from a knee injury suffered during last year’s playoffs. After being acquired in the Skinner trade, Jarry began his Edmonton tenure strong, going 4-0-1, but soon lost his job to the currently unsigned Connor Ingram. Levi, on the other hand, did not play in the NHL last season, but posted solid AHL numbers.

Despite how that may be a reason for concern, beginning the year without Andersen won’t be a critical hit to the Oilers’ season.

With Andersen’s injury comes a chance for the other two goalies in the Oilers’ rotation to impress new head coach Mike Babcock.

For Jarry, this comes as a very good opportunity to rebound after an unimpressive first season in Edmonton, to say the least. While his first few games with the team went well, his save percentage over the next several games began with an eight far too many times. After losing his job to Ingram, he did end up starting a playoff game and showed well. He has the capability for a resurgence, and behind a team more committed to defence, there is a good chance that he will. Jarry will likely have a longer leash than Levi and the inside track on being the opening night starter.

Levi, while promising, is far more of an unknown. Acquired from the Buffalo Sabres for a third-round pick with the hopes that he can be a starting goaltender down the road, he will need to come out of the gate strong for the Oilers, and after spending the entirety of last season in the American League, he ought to be motivated to do so. In 39 career NHL games, his numbers are less than stellar, but those were also behind some unspectacular Buffalo teams. Last season, playing in 52 games as the starting goaltender in AHL Rochester, Levi did put up sound numbers, giving reason to believe that he is on the right track to become a contributor at an NHL level, which at this time, is all they need.

As Zach Laing wrote a few days ago, Andersen’s injury history, as well as what is currently ailing him, may have been on the Oilers’ radar when they signed him back in July. Extra time off should also make his return more manageable when he is healthy enough to suit up for the team for the first time. From all accounts, that appears to be somewhere around the end of October.

Looking at the last number of Andersen’s seasons in Carolina, the most games he played in the regular season was 35. That was last season, showing that he can still carry the mail when required. Advantageously for everyone involved, Edmonton is likely not needing him to start that many games this upcoming season in order for him to be sharp for when they really need him. They brought Andersen in to be the go-to guy when the Stanley Cup playoffs begin, and his short-term absence will not change that.

If Andersen is to miss the first month and then some of the year, he will return with around 70 games remaining. This should allow Edmonton to conservatively start him somewhere in the range of 25-30 games, which aligns with what their expectations likely were when they signed him.

The Oilers’ schedule to start the season is not a gauntlet, to say the least. The first two games are against the Vancouver Canucks, who finished 32nd last season by a mile and didn’t do much to improve, and there are six other games against teams that missed the playoffs last year. The team ventures into the Pacific time zone for a few games and has one in Utah, but does not have to go east until their last game of the month on Halloween on Long Island.

There are a few tests over the course of October, but nothing the team cannot manage. A home-and-home with the aforementioned Mammoth, a trip to the arena where Edmonton was eliminated last season to face the Ducks, and home dates against Carolina and Minnesota will be challenges, but overall, the schedule is not overly concerning and certainly not gruelling travel-wise.

Should Andersen miss more time than expected, the first couple of weeks of November also feature some 2025-26 bottom feeders, with two games against the New York Rangers and another against Vancouver.

The Oilers’ schedule, an expected bounce-back from Jarry, and positive signs from Levi will allow them to survive without Andersen. Combine that with the improved roster and more of a team commitment to defence, this team could even thrive until the Stanley Cup Champion makes his return.

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