Devon Levi Is Forcing the Oilers Into a Crucial Goalie

Sometimes a goalie gets an opportunity because somebody else is injured or needs a rest. Then he starts winning, keeps making saves, and gives his coach something to think about. That's where Devon Levi seems to be with the Edmonton Oilers.

Levi stopped all 19 shots he faced in Saturday's 1-0 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. It was his first NHL shutout, and it came in a game Edmonton needed a steady performance from its goaltender. He also became the first Oilers goalie to win nine of his first ten appearances with the franchise. That's a pretty good way to get noticed.

Levi Is Making the Most of His Oilers Chance.

The numbers are beginning to tell an interesting story. Levi is now 9-1-0 in his first ten games with Edmonton. He has won both starts since returning from a lower-body injury, allowing just three goals on 54 shots. Before Saturday's shutout, he also made 28 saves in a 3-1 win over the New York Rangers.

None of that guarantees anything going forward. Goaltending can turn quickly, and a young goalie will eventually run into a difficult stretch. But Levi is doing what a team wants from its goaltender: giving it a chance to win, even when the offence isn't doing much. Saturday was a good example. Edmonton scored just once, but Levi made sure that one goal was enough.

Devon Levi Is Giving the Oilers a Good Problem to Solve.

Here's what I find interesting. The Oilers may have started the season with one idea for managing their goaltending, but Levi's play could force them to reconsider. Coaches don't like changing a winning combination, especially when a young goalie shows confidence and consistency. At the same time, there's a balance between rewarding a hot hand and asking too much of someone still establishing himself in the NHL.

Levi doesn't need to be handed the starting job today. He just needs to keep earning his opportunities. For Edmonton, that's a welcome development. A team with championship ambitions needs more than one dependable goalie. If Levi keeps giving the Oilers this kind of performance, the question won’t be when he plays next. It'll be how much bigger a role he can handle.

And that's a pretty nice question for the Oilers to be asking.