As free agency opened at noon on Tuesday, July 1, the Edmonton Oilers were conspicuously quiet, owing largely to the Darnell Nurse trade complication hanging over the franchise. But after the first wave that saw plenty of movement, the Oilers finally decided to dip into the goalie market.
Edmonton sent a third-round pick to the Buffalo Sabres to bring Devon Levi to town, bringing a long-running goaltending chapter to a close.
How Oilers Fans Reacted To The Devon Levi Trade
There was clearly a surplus of goaltenders in Buffalo, what with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Alex Lyon, Colten Ellis all under contract. Devon Levi was on the path to requiring waivers before Edmonton decided to take matters into its own hands and make a move.
For the price of a mere third-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft, the Oilers managed to snag the 6-foot netminder to town. Levi is entering the final season of a two-year, $1.625 million contract that carries a cap hit of $812,000.
TRADE 🔄
The #Oilers have acquired goaltender Devon Levi & a seventh-round selection in the 2028 NHL Draft from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Edmonton’s third-round pick in 2028. pic.twitter.com/4h4Xilw3uh
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) July 1, 2026
Levi spent last season in Rochester and went 23-20-12 with a .904 SV%. He had a .919 SV% in the AHL the year prior. Additionally, the ex-Sabres goalie went 17-17-2 over parts of three years at the NHL level.
Here’s what Oilers fans had to say about the move that came out of nowhere.
“Edmonton finally adds another goalie! I like it. Levi has seen a decline in his AHL numbers for 3 straight seasons in Rochester, but a change of scenery could do him some good. Levi is an excellent skater with good athleticism. Cheap way to add a potential upgrade in net,” The Athletic’s Jesse Granger noted.
David Ciss, a producer at Sportsnet 590 The Fan, noted, “Really do like this one for Edmonton. Levi needed a change of scenery and has a ton of potential. Low-risk, high-reward move for Edmonton.”
Action Network’s Greg Liodice took a more labored approach, writing, “The goalie carousel in Edmonton is never-ending.”
A small goalie with 39 NHL games played and an .894 saves percentage.
This would be a precursor to another move. Had better be. https://t.co/ewJTh9tZ46— Mark Spector🇨🇦🇺🇦 (@SportsnetSpec) July 1, 2026
“This must mean Hellebuyck is going to Buffalo,” was analyst Drew Livingstone’s immediate reaction, and with good reason.
The Sabres enquired about Connor Hellebuyck during draft weekend, reportedly putting the No. 4 overall pick on the table. However, when the Winnipeg Jets asked for Zach Benson, Buffalo’s response was simple: ‘That’s not happening.’
With their goaltending picture a little clearer, Buffalo will likely get back to the negotiating table with Winnipeg over a Hellebuyck deal.
When it comes to the Oilers, however, it appears the plan is not yet to have Levi as a backup to Tristan Jarry, who has underwhelmed since being traded from Pittsburgh. Both Mark Spector and Bob Stauffer believe another move could be on the way for Edmonton.
All said and done, there has been a fair bit of movement on the first day of free agency. Former Oiler Stuart Skinner signed with the Jets, giving rise to more speculation around a Hellebuyck trade, while the Toronto Maple Leafs signed Sergei Bobrovsky, signaling their intentions to get back to the table of contention.
