Was Signing an Injured Andersen Actually a Shrewd Move by the Oilers?

The Edmonton Oilers knew exactly what they were getting into when they signed goaltender Frederik Andersen to a one-year deal on July 1 — including the fact that he wouldn’t be ready to play right away. It seems less than ideal that the Oilers just signed a goalie who will miss camp and might be out a couple of months as the season starts on September 29. However, they might have had a plan.

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Rather than get caught scrambling for goaltending help mid-season, the way they did when they added Tristan Jarry last year, the Oilers built the absence into their plan from the start, and did so for a modest price tag.

Oilers Understood What They Were Getting Into

General manager Stan Bowman shed light on the situation in a conversation with Oilers Now host Bob Stauffer, explaining that Andersen’s issue isn’t a new injury but a lingering one. Bowman described it as the kind of hockey injury where a team initially hopes a conservative, rest-based approach will be enough to avoid surgery — which lines up with what Andersen himself said in July, when he attributed a “tweaked” knee to needing time off after signing. “I think it’s a situation where sometimes with these things, you’re hoping that you don’t need any type of procedure,” said Bowman.

Bowman noted that when rest alone doesn’t resolve the issue, a team eventually has to stop waiting and reassess. But he was clear that Edmonton never expected Andersen to be a workhorse this season in the first place, given his age and injury history. “But I think that was part of our game plan going in, knowing that he is a bit older, and he’s had a few injuries before.”

That’s why the Oilers also have Jarry and Devon Levi in their active rotation, both of whom will get real opportunities to open the year in net.

Bowman added that Andersen is expected to be sidelined longer than winger Matt Savoie, who suffered an injury during offseason training that was announced in August. He also indicated the Oilers aren’t planning to bring in additional goaltending help at this time.

Oilers Backup Plan Already in Place

Whether or not Andersen ends up being the long-term answer in net, going in with eyes open — and a backup plan already in place — looks like a calculated risk rather than a gamble. At the end of the day, the Oilers don’t expect Andersen to play all that much. They hope that if they need a third goalie later in the season, they already have one. And, by the time they realize it’s time to make a change to get things back on track, Andersen is good to go.

There’s no scrambling to find someone. The Oilers won’t have to find a trade partner or pull something out of nowhere.

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