Edmonton Oilers general manager Stan Bowman confirmed that his club will run with a three-goalie system to start the 2026-27 NHL season.
The Oilers still have Tristan Jarry under contract for the next two seasons at $5.375 million per year. They also traded for former Buffalo Sabres goalie prospect Devon Levi on July 1, and then they signed Frederik Andersen, who became a free agent after the Carolina Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup.
While there were initially some rumblings that the Oilers could send Jarry down to save some cap space, it was then revealed that the Oilers planned on going with a three-goalie system by NHL insider Jason Gregor.
Now, Bowman, the team’s GM, has confirmed that it will indeed be the case.
Edmonton Will Go With 3-Goalie System
Speaking to Oilers insider Bob Stauffer after he made a flurry of moves on July 1, Bowman confirmed the team will start the system with three goalies on its active roster.
“Yep. That’s our plan,” Bowman told Stauffer when asked if the team plans on starting the season with three goalies.
According to Bowman, new Oilers head coach Mike Babcock — who previously coached Andersen with the Toronto Maple Leafs — was instrumental in bringing the newly minted Stanley Cup champion to Edmonton.
“Mike Babcock has a history with him from Toronto, so Mike played a role in that, as well, which is great,” Bowman said, while noting Andersen has dealt with injuries throughout his NHL career, so the fact he will be part of a trio of goalies in Edmonton should help keep him healthier.
Who Will Win the Oilers’ Starting Goalie Job?
While Bowman confirmed the Oilers will start the year with three goalies, the hope is that one of them will run away with the starting job, which would then allow the team just to carry two on its active roster, leaving room for another forward or defenseman as the final player on the team’s 23-man roster instead of a third goalie.
Of the three goalies, Andersen has the most NHL experience and by far the most success, having just won the Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes. But he is 36 years old, so the team needs to make sure they don’t overwork him, which is why the three-goalie system could work well for Edmonton, at least early on in the season, as coach Babcock figures out who the best option is in net.
As for the 31-year-old Jarry, he also has a ton of experience from his days with the Pittsburgh Penguins, but he was awful after the Oilers traded for him last year. If the team could somehow move off his bloated contract, they would love to, but for now, he’ll be back next year.
As for Levi, he has been one of the top goalie prospects in the league for several years now, but he didn’t get much of an opportunity to start with the Sabres. The Oilers likely hope the 24-year-old Levi can be the team’s long-term answer at goalie, but that remains to be seen.
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