Oilers Still Have One Major Unanswered Question Heading Into 2026-27 – The Hockey Writers – Edmonton Oilers

There isn’t a team in the NHL facing more pressure than the Edmonton Oilers heading into 2026-27. This is a team that has had two of the best players in the NHL for a decade in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, yet still haven’t been able to get the ultimate job done.

The Oilers have come close, reaching the Stanley Cup Final in both 2024 and 2025. For many teams, that would be an incredible accomplishment, but it feels like a disappointment given how much talent they’ve boasted on their roster. Now, following a disappointing 2025-26 campaign, there is a major need for a bounce-back.

As Oilers fans know, the clock is ticking on McDavid, who is entering the first year of a two-year contract extension he signed last October. Another disappointing season would result in plenty of outside noise surrounding his future with the organization.

The Oilers were able to make some big changes in the offseason, moving out Darnell Nurse while bringing in several helpful pieces including Ryan Shea, Shakir Mukhamadullin, Frederik Andersen, and Devon Levi. Both Andersen and Levi are especially intriguing additions given how big of an issue goaltending has been for the Oilers in the past. That said, the same issue appears to still exist.

Andersen Out to Start Season

Last week, the Oilers announced that Andersen, who is fresh off winning a Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes, won’t be available to participate in training camp. The 36-year-old reportedly suffered an injury during an offseason workout, and isn’t expected to return to the lineup until late October.

This was a concern Oilers fans had when it was first announced that Andersen had been signed. While he’s been a very good goalie when healthy, he’s missed a ton of time in recent years due to several different health issues. Starting the 2026-27 season on the injured list is truly a worst-case scenario for the Oilers.

The reason why it’s so concerning for the Oilers is the uncertainty over who they’ll turn to during Andersen’s absence. Sure, being ruled out until late October won’t result in him missing many games, but it’s more than fair to assume that Andersen will need to miss additional time throughout the season based on what we’ve seen in recent years.

It’s unclear whether Levi, 24, is up to the task of handling several starts during Andersen’s absence. He’s logged just 39 career games at the NHL level, and is coming off of a disappointing 2025-26 season which he spent in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Rochester Americans.

The only other option behind Levi during Andersen’s absence is Tristan Jarry. Oilers fans seemingly have no confidence in the 31-year-old, who posted a horrendous 3.86 goals against average (GAA) along with a .858 save percentage (SV%) in 19 games after being acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins last December. Things were so bad that he became nearly unplayable down the stretch of the regular season.

The one positive with Jarry is that he has had success at the NHL level in the past. Perhaps with more time to fully absorb the trade, he can figure out a way to get his game back to the level the Oilers need it to be in 2026-27. That’s a big and perhaps unrealistic ask, however, based on just how poorly he played last season.

Oilers May Have Same Issues Going Forward

In defence of the Oilers management group, this is by far and away the biggest effort they’ve made to try and address their goaltending situation. It certainly appears to be an upgrade from anything we’ve seen during the McDavid era, though there are still plenty of concerns that this current trio could continue to be an Achilles’ heel for this Oilers team.