Oilers Goalie Targets

Both Ben Scrivens and Viktor Fasth have struggled this season for the Edmonton Oilers. Both goalies have a save percentage under .900%, and neither guy is in the top thirty in that regard. By those standards, neither Ben Scrivens nor Viktor Fasth are performing like starting goalies in the NHL. That’s a major problem.

The Oilers currently are a young hockey team that has shown some, not a lot, but some improvement. You need a goalie that will give you at least NHL average goaltending, and to this point Edmonton has not gotten it. Both Ben Scrivens and Viktor Fasth were solid bets, but clearly neither has taken over the crease, meaning it’s time to start look elsewhere.

What are the options for Edmonton? Let’s take a look.

Josh Harding: Wild goalie Josh Harding is returning from injury, but there is no real spot for him in the lineup. Darcy Kuemper has been sensational, while Niklas Backstrom is older and has a contract that no team is really going to take. Harding is a solid goaltender, who has posted solid numbers throughout his career and is only 30 years old. Harding has battled injury throughout his career, and is certainly a risk. That said, the Wild need to dump a goalie and he could be had for cheap.

Tomas Vokoun: The 38 year old veteran goalie has a solid track record in the NHL, but has battled injury throughout the last few seasons. Vokoun last played in the NHL back in 2012-13, and posted a solid .919 SV% in 20 games. Last year, due to injury, he only played in two AHL games, and struggled. Vokoun is a massive risk, but would only cost the Oilers money and a contract.

Martin Brodeur: The legend himself is a current free agent. His legacy in the NHL is quite clear, and his past accomplishments are unreal, but his current state is not very good. Brodeur was brutal last season for New Jersey, posting a .901 SV% in 39 games. His best days are behind him, and in all honesty he probably won’t be supplying much help.

James Reimer: The Leafs backup netminder is a goalie in need of a change of scenery. Reimer is a solid goalie, but has fallen out of favor in Toronto, and lost his job to Jonathan Bernier. Reimer has already led a team to the playoffs, the Leafs back in 2013, and has posted solid numbers throughout his career. He posted a .911 SV% in 36 games last year, and a .924 SV% in 33 games the year prior. His contract is below market value, and he is clearly available for trade. To me, he is the best option out there.

These four goaltenders aren’t number one options in the NHL, but all four represent some sort of change in Edmonton. I can sit here today and tell you that both Harding and Reimer are better than both Scrivens and Fasth, and that Vokoun and Brodeur could be an upgrade over the current level of goaltending.

Something has to give, and one of these four could be the answer moving forward.