The Edmonton Oilers enter another offseason with the same old headache hanging over the franchise: goaltending. While contenders around the league are cashing in on young goaltenders, Edmonton is still caught between chasing quick solutions and fully trusting its own goalie development system.
This conversation has picked up steam as rookie goalie Jakub Dobes keeps turning heads in Montreal’s impressive 2026 playoff run. The Canadiens rolled the dice on a young, unproven netminder and suddenly found themselves riding one of the hottest streaks in hockey, while the Oilers continue scrambling for stability between the pipes.
Jason Gregor Doubts Oilers Can Mirror Jakub Dobes’ Success
Dobes has become one of the NHL’s biggest postseason stories after taking control of Montreal’s crease and leading the Canadiens into the Eastern Conference Final.
The 24-year-old Czech goaltender posted a 29-10-4 regular-season record before elevating his game further in the playoffs with a 2.48 goals-against average during Montreal’s unexpected run.
The Canadiens’ decision to trust Dobes has sparked comparisons in Edmonton because the Oilers may already have a similar prospect in Connor Ungar.
At age 23, Dobes posted a .910 save percentage in the AHL during the 2024-25 season before earning an NHL opportunity. Meanwhile, Ungar produced an even stronger .923 save percentage in 13 AHL games this season but still spent significant time in the ECHL.
This difference in organizational philosophy became a major discussion point during a recent episode of The Jason Gregor Show. Oilers insider Jason Gregor acknowledged Ungar’s upside but questioned whether Edmonton could realistically hand him a major NHL role so quickly.
“I know there’s a lot of people that are high on Connor Ungar,” Gregor said. “Hey, man, I can’t say for certain that Ungar can’t be the guy. I don’t know. But he’s played 14 AHL games.”
Gregor pointed out that many successful NHL goalies required a much longer development timeline before becoming reliable starters. He referenced Jordan Binnington’s lengthy minor-league path while comparing it to Ungar’s limited experience.
“Binnington played like 5 years in the AHL,” Gregor explained. “This guy’s got 13 AHL games. Dobes played 16 NHL games last season and had stints of, what, I guess, a year and a half of AHL experience.”
Still, Gregor stopped short of dismissing Ungar entirely because the young goalie has consistently succeeded at every level. The Calgary native impressed in Canadian university hockey before signing with Edmonton as an undrafted free agent in March 2024. He later posted strong numbers in both the ECHL and AHL, including a standout 51-save performance earlier this year.
“But I can’t rule out Ungar,” Gregor added. “Everywhere he played last year, he had success. So who knows? Maybe he could be the guy.”
The bigger issue for Edmonton may be timing. McDavid is going to enter the opening year of his two-year extension, placing added pressure on the organization to avoid developmental risks in net. Gregor made it clear he does not believe the Oilers are prepared to gamble on a largely unproven goalie during such an important stretch.
“I don’t think the Edmonton Oilers, in Year 1 of Connor McDavid’s 2-year contract, are going to go in and say, ‘Hey, Connor Ungar’s our starter,’” Gregor said. “I don’t think that’s a well-thought-out plan.”
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For now, Montreal’s success with Dobes continues to highlight the exact decision Edmonton still seems hesitant to make.
