The Edmonton Oilers are facing their first cold winds of adversity approaching the 2026-27 season. 

Two weeks out from training camp, neither Matt Savoie nor Frederik Andersen will participate due to injuries suffered during off-season training, and the suggested timelines target late October returns. It presents an early curveball to the 2026-27 campaign for Mike Babcock and brass, the first of many in a long, now 84-game season. 

No, not the time to panic. But it sure does feel familiar to last season. 

Savoie was one of six Oilers skaters last year to suit up in all 82 games, exuding great health for a rookie adjusting to the NHL, especially for his size. That’s been uncommon for top Edmonton rookie forwards. 

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was a similar size as a rookie, but missed 20 games due to a shoulder injury his first season. Connor McDavid missed nearly half his coming-out party thanks to Brandon Manning driving him into the boards. Taylor Hall got feisty and sprained his ankle in a fight with Derek Dorsett in 2010-11. 

Compared to recent Edmonton rookie forwards who entered the league with some cachet, Savoie enjoyed far better health, more in line with Andrew Cogliano and Sam Gagner in 2007-08, who only missed three combined games in their debut seasons.

His youth was important in the physically demanding, compressed schedule, but it’s a shame that his offensive ramp-up post-Olympics has a detour heading into his sophomore season. 

Again, not to panic, but it is a blow as Babcock becomes acquainted with his roster. As Stan Bowman remains patient with his top six and says he isn’t worried, Savoie figured to start there and stay there this season.

Meanwhile, the three-goalie theory is tested out of the gate with Andersen’s delayed start. This isn’t a major surprise, but it would be nice to know whether this remains the knee issue, or whether this is a new injury entirely. Andersen said in July that the knee just needed rest, as he didn’t have to undergo surgery. Maybe we’ll learn more during training camp. 

It is annoying that the season will start this way. There’s no ideal time to get injured, but it’ll be a great indication of whether three goalies equals zero goalies, or whether one of them can provide reliability stability. 

Tristan Jarry should be better than a year ago, but I worry his first two months in Pittsburgh are the outlier in the grand scheme of his last three seasons. Devon Levi should be hungry for the chance, but he’s also played just 39 NHL games. Frederik Andersen should just require rest and be the team’s de facto important game starter, but can his body withstand the season when it matters most? 

Considering how snookered the Oilers are with the Jarry contract, even in this new salary cap world, I felt more comfortable in the three-goalie tandem than other potential situations, especially with a peek towards the future in Levi. 

But taking last season as a comparison, do you feel any better about any of the three than, say, Connor Ingram? I don’t – at least in the context of the regular season. I know this team’s goal is all about the Stanley Cup, but there are 84 hurdles to jump over before you start that sprint, and those........

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