Devon Levi Makes Edmonton Oilers History As True 'Gladiator'
For years, goaltending has been one of the issues holding back the Edmonton Oilers in their quest for another Stanley Cup. It seems like they've finally found their netminder—for now and the future—in recent top goalie prospect Devon Levi.
The 24-year-old recorded his first career NHL shutout in a 1-0 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs Saturday night. With a 9-1-0 record, he has also set the all-time franchise mark for the best 10-game start in Oilers history. He has a .926 save percentage with a 1.99 goals-against average in his last nine starts.
Levi credits not only how much fun he's having right now with this team, but also a very unique pre-game ritual he performs:
"Playing hockey is so much fun right now. I'm grateful to be here." Devon Levi spoke with @sportsnetkyle after securing his first NHL shutout in the @EdmontonOilers' 1-0 win in Toronto. https://t.co/1bo8iUNyC9
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 15, 2026
Devon Levi channels Maximus from Gladiator for his success in goal
It appears that Devin Cooley isn't the only goalie in Alberta that can endear himself to an audience with quirky behavior. And Levi's "connecting with the ice" story even caught the attention of the Gladiator actor himself, Russell Crowe, and his 2.7 million followers:
Strength and Honour young man. Devon Levi from the Edmonton Oilers. https://t.co/FAxgQrIqrw
— Russell Crowe (@russellcrowe) November 15, 2026
In addition to channelling his inner Maximus, Levi has also taken advantage of a much more conducive environment for playing goal with the Oilers this season, between head coach Mike Babcock's system and the replacement of Darnell Nurse on the blueline with Ryan Shea.
After a standout collegiate career at Northeastern University in which he was the Mike Richter Award winner twice as top NCAA goalie, and some excellent work in the AHL, Levi was one of the top netminding prospects in hockey. He seemed to be the Buffalo Sabres "goalie of the future." But for some reason or another, it never clicked for him in Buffalo, and the Edmonton Oilers are now reaping the benefits. They acquired him in a July 1st trade for a third-round pick.
Levi has a .906 save percentage in his 10 Oilers starts, with a 2.48 goals-against average. But if you throw out that wild season-opening 9-7 win when the team was still working out the kinks and getting used to Babcock's new system, Levi's Sv% is .926 with a GAA of 1.99 in his last nine starts.