The Oilers’ Most Important Goalie May Be Their Youngest

There is something interesting happening in Edmonton's crease, and it isn't really about who starts the season as the Oilers' No. 1 goalie. Right now, the Oilers have three goaltenders who could make a legitimate claim for the job. Frederik Andersen brings experience and a Stanley Cup on his résumé. Tristan Jarry is the expensive veteran who needs to prove that last season was an aberration. And then there's Devon Levi, the 24-year-old Edmonton acquired from Buffalo this summer.

At least one hockey writer is betting that Levi finishes the season with the most starts. That's a fairly bold prediction considering Levi has only 36 NHL starts and a .894 save percentage in those games. But I think there's a bigger story here than simply guessing which goalie gets the most work.

Edmonton May Finally Be Betting on Potential.

Levi's recent NHL numbers aren't very encouraging. That's the first thing that has to be acknowledged. He spent all of last season in the American Hockey League, where he went 23-20-9 with a .904 save percentage. But his larger AHL record is considerably more interesting, and Edmonton didn't acquire him because it believes those 36 NHL starts tell the whole story.

This is what makes the goaltending situation different from some of Edmonton's previous attempts to solve the position. Andersen is the known quantity, at least in terms of experience. Jarry is the reclamation project. Levi is the question mark. And sometimes the question mark is the most interesting player in the room.

Andersen has already said he's comfortable with a rotation. At 36, that makes plenty of sense. Edmonton doesn't need to run him into the ground during the regular season. Jarry will get an opportunity to show that his difficult first season with the Oilers doesn't define him. But Levi has something the other two don't have: a lot more runway.

If he starts well, there is no reason for Edmonton to keep him on the bench simply because Andersen has played in more games or Jarry makes more money. Goaltending is one of those positions where performance tends to settle arguments pretty quickly. That's why I think Levi could gradually take over this competition.

The Oilers Don't Need a No. 1 Goalie in October.

The other thing I find interesting is that Edmonton doesn't have to decide this immediately. There is no reason to announce that Levi is the starter and give him 55 games. Let Andersen take some of the early workload. Give Jarry a real opportunity to reclaim his game. Let Levi play enough to see whether the player Edmonton thinks it acquired is actually there.

Then watch what happens. If Levi is merely okay, nothing has been lost. The veterans can continue carrying the load. But if he starts stopping pucks at a rate that makes it difficult to keep him out of the net, the Oilers have a decision to make.

For the Oilers, this becomes more than a goaltending story.

Edmonton is trying to win now, but it also needs to stop solving the same problems over and over again. If Levi becomes a legitimate NHL starter, the Oilers haven't just found another goalie for this season. They've potentially found a younger answer for the position. Maybe that's what general manager Stan Bowman was really buying when he made the trade.

The Oilers don't need Levi to be their best goalie in October. They need to give him enough opportunity to discover whether he can be their best goalie by March. And if that happens, I wouldn't be surprised if the 24-year-old ends up playing more games than either of the veterans. That would make the gamble on Levi look pretty smart.