There aren’t many elite goalies around the NHL, and for the Edmonton Oilers, that’s the harsh reality.
The Oilers are in a position to still want the Stanley Cup next season, but with Stuart Skinner in net, it’s tough to suggest that they’re the favorites by any means.
The Oilers have continued to prove over the past few years that they can get out of the Western Conference, but they have to get over that hump to win it all.
As a result, that could mean they’ll look to replace Skinner sometime soon, and NHL Trade Rumors’ Rob Couch recently proposed a few intriguing ideas for them to do that with.
One of them was Devon Levi of the Buffalo Sabers, a 23-year-old who has only played 39 games in the NHL.
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“Those are the three that the Oilers should have their sights on as Arturs Silovs is probably not an option anymore after the Vancouver Canucks traded him to the Pittsburgh Penguins instead of a rival. But a long shot I’ve identified is Levi.
“He has spent the last two seasons between the NHL and AHL as the Sabres haven’t been good and he hasn’t found his footing in the NHL. That could be a reality once again as Alex Lyon was signed for two years. The Oilers are a much better team defensively if you actually look at stats and not opinion. He would still cost a lot and I’m not sure if the Sabres are ready to give up on him yet, but a bounce-back season by Luukkonen could change things,” he wrote.
Throughout Levi’s career, he’s had periods where he’s proven to be very good in the NHL, including his 2022-23 season, when he allowed 2.94 goals per game and saved 90.4% of shots.
If he can return to those numbers as a full-time starter, the Oilers would get a very good 23-year-old with long-term potential.
