The Edmonton Oilers are expected to be gauging the goaltending market this offseason to see if they can change some things between the pipes heading into the 2025-26 season. There have been reports of them being linked to several different goaltenders as free agency approaches, but one of them might be a little out of their price range. Vancouver Canucks’ Thatcher Demko has been in trade rumours for a while now, and while he is one of the top goaltenders in the league when he is healthy, the risk associated with his potential injury issues might be too high for the Oilers to take a gamble on.
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If the reports are accurate about the Canucks looking to bring in some help to bolster their top-six forward group, the Oilers don’t have the assets to bring Demko in. They could consider moving someone like Matthew Savoie, who is expected to start next season in a bigger role, likely in the Oilers’ top-six, but they may be hesitant to move someone that young who still has lots of potential.
Other than Savoie, the Oilers don’t have the available assets to make a splash for Demko. Teams like the Detroit Red Wings or the Philadelphia Flyers, who are both rumoured to be looking to add goaltending help, may have the assets available to make a trade for Demko. The Red Wings have a solid prospect pool and the draft picks available to them to entice the Canucks to make a move, while the Flyers might be desperate enough to move mountains to bring in a goaltender of Demko’s caliber. The Flyers know they’re probably a starting goaltender away from pushing for a playoff spot, and the Canucks could take full advantage of that desperation.
Back to the Oilers, though. They could always consider moving Stuart Skinner, Sam O’Reilly, and a future first-round pick in exchange for Demko, but there are a few issues with that. First, the risk associated with Demko’s injury history forces the Oilers to acquire a serviceable backup who can play around 30-35 games if needed. Second, the Oilers would be giving up two incredible future assets, as well as giving up on Skinner entirely. Some people, including myself, would love if Skinner stuck around as a backup goaltender with the Oilers next season, but that’s slowly looking like a slim possibility.
Oilers Have Other Options Available
It’s no secret that the Oilers are trying to make some changes between the pipes heading into next season, but what realistic options are available? Someone like Jeremy Swayman or Ilya Sorokin would be a pipe dream, and aren’t going to happen, but it would be cool if they did. Back to reality, though, they could try and swing for Jordan Binnington from the St. Louis Blues. It would be a high price tag for him, but if the Oilers can keep Skinner and bring in Binnington, that is an elite tandem that could finally help the Oilers win their first Stanley Cup since 1990.
They could also look to just bolster their tandem and create some internal competition for Skinner. They could target Jake Allen, Joel Hofer, Dan Vladar, or Elvis Merzlikins if that’s the direction they decided to go. None of them are guaranteed starting goaltenders, but they could help elevate Skinner’s game or even create a duo that gives fans more faith heading into the playoffs next season.
I think fans would prefer to see the Oilers go after a starting goaltender and have Skinner come into the 2025-26 campaign as a backup, but Demko is likely out of their price range. Time will tell if, and when, they make a move, but Demko doesn’t seem to b a realistic solution.
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