Frederik Andersen’s Injury Could Change the Oilers’ Goalie

Frederik Andersen was supposed to make the Edmonton Oilers’ goalie situation interesting. Now his injury might make it even more interesting.

Andersen won't be at training camp due to an offseason injury, and there are reports he could be out until late October. The Oilers haven't provided a firm timetable, so nobody really knows when he'll be back. But there is something more important here than simply missing Andersen for a few weeks. The Oilers now have to find out what they really have in Tristan Jarry and Devon Levi.

Somebody Is Going to Get an Opportunity in the Oilers’ Crease.

When Edmonton signed Andersen this summer, the idea was pretty easy to understand. He had just won the Stanley Cup with Carolina, brought a lot of NHL experience, and looked like a reasonable answer to a position that has been a problem for the Oilers for years. He signed a one-year, $2.8 million contract. He also has a history with new Oilers head coach Mike Babcock from their time together in Toronto.

But Edmonton also acquired Levi and already had Jarry. So this was never really a simple “Andersen is the No. 1 and everybody else is the backup” situation. Andersen's absence changes that.

Training camp matters for goaltenders because this is when coaches begin figuring out who they trust. Jarry now gets more opportunity. Levi gets more opportunity. And opportunity has a funny way of changing people's plans.

If one of them plays well early, the Oilers might discover something they weren't expecting. Maybe Jarry finds his game again. Maybe Levi shows he is ready for a bigger NHL role. Or maybe both struggle and Edmonton realizes Andersen's return is more important than it thought.

That's why this injury could become more than an injury.

The Oilers May Learn Something They Didn't Expect.

The Oilers have spent a lot of time trying to solve their goaltending problem. This summer they brought in Andersen, traded for Levi and kept Jarry, giving themselves three different possibilities rather than betting everything on one goalie. And now the hockey gods have basically said: Fine. Let's see what you've got.

Andersen's injury isn't good news for Edmonton. At 36, and with a history of missed games, there were already questions about how much he could play. But the unexpected consequence is that Jarry and Levi will have a chance to answer some questions of their own.

That's not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes a team learns more when Plan A isn't available.

The Oilers Thought They Had Three Goalies. Now They Have Two. That Might Be Enough.

The Oilers thought they were going into camp with a three-goalie competition. Instead, they may be going into the season with two goalies trying to prove they deserve a bigger job while they wait for Andersen to return.

And if one of them takes advantage of that opportunity, Edmonton could have a very different goalie decision to make when Andersen comes back. The injury may have taken Andersen out of the picture for now. But it could put the entire Oilers goalie plan under the microscope.