5 goalies Edmonton Oilers could sign in free agency this week
Free agency is set to open later this week, and the Edmonton Oilers are still searching for an answer to their goaltending issues.
Oilers GM Stan Bowman is expected to bring in at least one new goalie this summer to pair with Tristan Jarry. There has been speculation in recent weeks that the team could simply bring back Connor Ingram, but that would essentially lock Edmonton into the same goalie tandem that led to their first-round exit.
That could still happen, but it feels likely that Bowman will exhaust all his options before taking the easy way out, whether that be through trade or free agency.
Free agency would be the easier of the routes, as the Oilers aren’t exactly brimming with high-value trade chips to bring back a high-end starting goaltender. If the team can offload Darnell Nurse before July 1, it will also give management a lot more cap flexibility in free agency.
This year’s crop of free agents isn’t exactly inspiring, and there are some slim pickings at the goalie position. Yet, there are some intriguing names that could pique Edmonton’s interest.
Here are the five best goalies set to become free agents on Wednesday…
1. Sergei Bobrovsky
Nathan Ray Seebeck/Imagn Images
Age: 37
2025-26 stats:Ā 27-23-1, .877 SV%, -12.2 GSAx
The biggest name available in the free agency goalie pool is Sergei Bobrovsky.
It certainly would be strange to see the Russian goaltender on the Oilers, considering he defeated Edmonton in back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals. He’d certainly end the debate of who the Oilers’ starting goalie is, but he comes with some obvious risks.
Bobrovsky is in the twilight of his career, and there are already worries that his play is on a downward swing. He won’t come cheap, reportedly wants some term on his next deal, and is coming off a brutal season.
2. Frederik Andersen
Age: 36
2025-26 stats: 16-14-5, .874 SV%, -3.3 GSAx
Another goalie with a Stanley Cup pedigree is Frederik Andersen.
The Danish netminder has struggled with injuries in recent years, but was relatively healthy splitting the net with Brandon Bussi this past season. He had a subpar regular season, but turned it on in the playoffs, posting a 13-2 record and .910 SV% in 15 postseason games.
Andersen’s age is a cause for concern, and he is likely looking for a pretty penny after winning the Stanley Cup. Still, he may come cheaper than Bobrovsky.
3. Cam Talbot
Age: 38
2025-26 stats: 12-9-6, .883 SV%, -13.1 GSAx
Following the trend of older goalies hitting the open market is Cam Talbot.
Talbot may have been the best goalie to suit up for the Oilers over the past decade, but his best days are far behind him now. At 38, there doesn’t appear to be a lot of fuel left in the tank for the ex-Oilers netminder.
He is coming off a disappointing season with the Detroit Red Wings, where he posted some gnarly counting stats, but he had a long history of strong play prior to this past year.
4. Stuart Skinner
Connor Hamilton/Imagn Images
Age: 27
2025-26 stats: 23-17-9, .888 SV%, +8.3 GSAx
It feels highly unlikely that Stuart Skinner will return to Edmonton this summer, but he might be the best goalie available in free agency.
As fate would have it, the Edmonton native might be the most in-demand goaltender over the next week or so. He doesn’t have the name value of Bobrovsky or Andersen, but he has posted some of the best stats among his free agent class this past season and has plenty of playoff experience.
Skinner coming back to the Alberta capital remains very unlikely, but you can’t rule it out 100 per cent.
5. Daniil Tarasov
Age: 27
2025-26 stats: 13-15-3, .895 SV%, -1.8 GSAx
Another intriguing option between the pipes during free agency is Daniil Tarasov.
The Russian goaltender outplayed Bobrovsky with the Florida Panthers this past season and put up some surprisingly good underlying numbers. It seems unlikely that Florida will let Tarasov reach free agency, considering they are likely parting ways with Bobrovsky.
If he does become available, he could be a cheaper option for the Oilers that holds some potential as a tandem partner with Jarry.