Edmonton Oilers’ Best Goaltending Options for 2026-27 – The Hockey Writers – Edmonton Oilers

A quick end to the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs for the Edmonton Oilers had everyone a bit surprised, but at the same time, it made sense. They had made two long runs in 2024 and 2025 and came into this season’s playoffs with a few key players hurting. Now they have some extra time to rest, but also to reassess where they’re at in every department; that includes goaltending. The most important and talked-about position in Edmonton will certainly be evaluated, and management has options as the summer nears.

The Oilers started 2025-26 with Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard as the duo in net; the pair that led them to back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances. After a slow start to the season, Skinner was traded for Tristan Jarry, and Pickard was sent down, replaced by Connor Ingram. The tandem of Jarry and Ingram worked at times, with Ingram taking the bulk of the starts. Ultimately, things came crashing down against a high-octane Anaheim Ducks team in Round 1. Management now needs to decide where to go from here.

General manager Stan Bowman and company are right back where they were last summer, with a pair of goalies who couldn’t get the job done. They have a number of stars in front of them who are capable of taking them far and want to win in Edmonton. The question now is: which route finally gets the Oilers the right goalie? Let’s take a look.

Make a Splash Trade

This was something Oilers fans were waiting for up until the team made the Skinner-Jarry swap; however, it never turned out like it was supposed to, so now everyone is still waiting. A big trade for a stud goaltender to show the team is still serious about making a run might just be what they need. There are a couple targets out there who I think could be good for Edmonton.

Juuse Saros is the first name that comes to mind here. His numbers have been down the last two seasons; however, the Nashville Predators have struggled as a whole and missed the last two postseasons. When management puts a contending team in front of him, his stats are fantastic. He can take on the majority of starts and repeatedly comes near that .920 save percentage (SV%) mark. His cap hit of roughly $7.7 million would be slightly problematic for the Oilers, but they have big pieces they could move around, too.

Another candidate to consider is Joel Hofer from the St. Louis Blues. He showed the potential to be a strong starter in the NHL when Jordan Binnington struggled this season. He stepped in and posted a .910 SV% in a tough season in St. Louis. His cap hit is more affordable than someone like Saros, and he is going into the final year of his two-year, $6.8 million deal. If the Oilers could make a play for him, he’d complement another goalie well. If the Blues want to hold onto him, maybe Binnington is another option for them.

There are other goalies that I’m sure Edmonton has looked at and will consider through the trade market. One thing that makes it difficult is the contracts. If the Oilers decide to move on from Jarry and want to fold him into a trade, his cap hit that exceeds $5 million may not be attractive for a lot of teams, so Edmonton will have to include extra assets to move him. This goes for a few players on the roster that make a fair amount. A trade is possible; it would just take some extra work.

Free Agent Frenzy

Something a little simpler than trading, but also a little more scarce, is the free agent market. It’s not often a team will let a top-tier goaltender reach the open market, but sometimes the player will elect to test the waters. There are options out there for Edmonton to throw money at, but that doesn’t mean they don’t come with some risk.

Sergei Bobrovsky is far and away the top name in terms of free agent goalies. He is one of, if not the main reason the Oilers went down in two straight Stanley Cup Finals. What better way to get over the hump than to make your biggest problem an asset? Bobrovsky’s previous contract had him making $10 million per season, something the Oilers probably can’t afford. They’d need him to take a pay cut, but going into his age-38 season, I don’t think he’d mind.

He’s a proven winner and shows no signs of slowing down, so why wouldn’t he be an option on a short-term deal? The Oilers have brought in veteran starters before, with Mike Smith being the most recent example. He did just fine, too, getting the team to Round 3 back in 2022.

The other standout on the free agent board is Frederik Andersen. A goalie who is still alive in the 2026 NHL Playoffs, he’s another guy who has taken the Carolina Hurricanes deep multiple times. He has solid playoff numbers and is a touch younger than Bobrovsky. He also makes significantly less, making it easier for Edmonton to figure out. I think he would fit well in a tandem role. What makes this one tough is with the market so thin, Andersen will likely be a hot commodity, and other teams will be more willing to pay.

The only issue Edmonton sees with the free agent market is if they are successful in reeling in one of the big fish, they will likely have to sell off other veteran assets with little return. They are currently set to have just over $1 million in cap space, which isn’t ideal when management also wants to improve other areas if possible.

Trust the System

The final option is the one Bowman and the Oilers chose last year around this time. They chose to stick with the tandem they finished the season with and continue on. This would actually require a free agent signing, as Ingram and third-stringer Pickard are set to hit the open market on July 1, but everyone else remains. If they held the line, there are still options from within.

I believe that Ingram would work great in a strong tandem with somewhat equal playing time. The Oilers would then need to decide if Pickard or Jarry would be the better fit in that role. Both goalies struggled overall last season, but maybe a long offseason and some more work with goalie coach Peter Aubry could be beneficial.

The team also needs to consider the potential star they have in Connor Ungar. The pending restricted free agent (RFA) goalie was lights-out in both the ECHL and AHL. He posted a .923 SV% and a 2.51 goals-against average (GAA) in 13 games with the Bakersfield Condors this season. While he is still 24 years old and Edmonton will want to develop him as much as they can, he is one to keep an eye on through 2026-27 and into the following season.

The Oilers’ Best Option in Goal

Options on the table, there’s only one that does the job the Oilers need to get done right now, and I believe it’s a trade. If management is willing to put all their cards on the table, whether it be prospects, draft picks, or movable veterans, then a trade is what needs to happen. Bowman talked in his season-end presser about how the goaltending needs improvement and how the time to win is right now, so this is what makes sense.

A trade is what is most feasible in terms of money and would help them potentially move out a high-earning contract. The trade market also just presents higher-quality talent right now, as we can see, and if the Oilers bring in one of the big names out there, it’ll be a game-changer for them.