5 Quick Fix Options For Oilers' Goaltending

The Edmonton Oilers are abysmal in goal and at this point, anything and everything has to be done to get at least one new goalie in the mix to get the team some saves.

As a team, the Oilers now have an .857 SV%. In comparison, one of the worst teams in NHL history in the highest-scoring era (1984-85), the Toronto Maple Leafs, had a team SV% of .864 and finished with 20 wins in 80 games, per Captain Jack via X. The Oilers rank 32nd in the league with 80 goals against, 58 goals against at 5-on-5, and team SV%.

Something has to be done before it gets worse, and these are five quick-fix options that will help now and into the future.

The Buffalo Sabres are a bad team, even though they beat the struggling Oilers, and have three goalies on their roster, with another, Devon Levi, in the AHL. Lyon is splitting time with Colton Ellis and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. The three goals rotation hardly ever works and isn't done that often, but the Sabres need to move off of it. If they aren't going to be competitive, there is likely already interest in Lyon and he can be moved. The team clearly likes Ellis enough to keep him around and start him. Lyon has a .907 SV% and is under contract through next season at $1.5 million AAV.

Cam Talbot of the Detroit Red Wings has already been linked to the Oilers, and for good reason. He was excellent for a time earlier in his career with the Oilers and has been solid everywhere he's gone. He can still start, but is taking a backseat to John Gibson. Talbot is under contract for the remainder of the season at $2.5 million AAV, has a 2.64 GAA, and a .897 SV%, which is still miles ahead of the Oilers. The veteran is also 8-2-0 and the Red Wings have a goalie they can call up to replace him.

The Oilers have an internal option they brought in earlier this season in Connor Ingram. He may not be ready for NHL action, but it can't get much worse. He was better than both Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard when he was healthy. Even if he has an .871 SV% in six AHL games, it's worth a shot. While Skinner is one story, Pickard needs to be done at the NHL level.

Looking younger, the New Jersey Devils are eventually going to have to trade Nico Daws, so why not now if the Oilers are willing to pay up? Jacob Markstrom recently re-signed, so that means both him and Jake Allen are under contract through 2028. Daws, who is waiver eligible and the Oilers missed on in the preseason, is NHL-ready. He had a .968 SV% in his one NHL game this season and has a .907 SV% in seven AHL games. Daws also had a .937 SV% in six games last season for the Devils.

Another goalie pretty equal to Daws, but with less NHL experience, is Michael DiPietro. The Boston Bruins have Jeremy Swayman signed long-term and also have Joonas Korpisalo on the team. It pushed DiPietro through waivers as well, and the 26-year-old, who is well experienced enough, is 7-1-0 with a 1.99 GAA and .932 SV% in the AHL.

The Oilers have to do something and do it immediately.