The Oilers’ Goaltending Picture Just Got a Little More Interesting

Sometimes a goalie gets a start because it is his turn. Sometimes a goalie gets a start that makes you wonder if something bigger is happening. Devon Levi gets that start tonight against the Vancouver Canucks, and Oilers fans should be watching a little more closely than usual.

Levi hasn’t exactly arrived in Edmonton with a glowing NHL résumé. Last season with Buffalo, he went 2-7-0 with a 4.12 goals-against average and an .872 save percentage. Those aren’t numbers that make anybody feel particularly comfortable. But goalies can be funny.

Sometimes a change of scenery matters. Sometimes a young goalie needs somebody to believe in him. And sometimes a goalie simply needs an opportunity before everything clicks.

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Why Jarry Got the First Chance for the Oilers

It made perfect sense for the Oilers to start the season with Tristan Jarry. He’s the experienced goalie. He has been around. He had a strong preseason. When you’re trying to figure out your goaltending situation, giving the veteran the first opportunity is a pretty reasonable place to start.

The problem is that Jarry hasn’t exactly looked like a different goalie. There have been moments when he’s looked a lot like last season’s version of himself. And that’s where Levi becomes interesting. Not because one start suddenly makes him the answer. It doesn’t. But because the Oilers need to find out what they have.

Is This Move a Goalie Change in Disguise?

That’s the question worth watching. Frederik Andersen isn’t expected back until December at the earliest, which gives Edmonton a clear opportunity for someone else to gain ground. Maybe that’s Jarry. Maybe it’s Levi. Maybe it’s both.

But if Levi goes into Vancouver tonight and plays a terrific game, suddenly the conversation changes a little. One good game doesn’t make a goalie. But one good game can create another opportunity. Then another opportunity can create confidence. And before long, a guy who was supposed to be the backup option can start looking like something else. That’s the possibility here.

Nobody should be writing Jarry’s Edmonton obituary after a handful of games. That’s getting way ahead of things. And to be fair, he looked very good in preseason. But tonight may be the beginning of the Oilers asking a different question about their goaltending.

Maybe Devon Levi isn’t simply getting a start. Maybe he’s getting a chance to change the conversation.

Related: Bettman Takes Shot at NHL No-Trade Clauses: Expect the League to Make Changes