Oilers make an announcement on goaltender Devon Levi today

Devon Levi is about to get his first real opportunity to show the Edmonton Oilers what he can do.

The 24-year-old goaltender is expected to make his Edmonton debut Thursday night against the Vancouver Canucks, just two nights after the Oilers surrendered a 6-5 overtime loss to the same opponent in their season opener. It is a pretty interesting spot for Levi, considering the circumstances surrounding Edmonton's crease entering the 2026-27 season.

Levi was acquired by the Oilers from the Buffalo Sabres during the offseason with the expectation that he could become an important part of their goaltending picture. While he has already appeared in the NHL, tonight represents a significant opportunity because Edmonton is not simply looking for a temporary backup. The organization has made it clear that it wants to carry three goaltenders, with Levi joining veterans Tristan Jarry and Frederik Andersen in the overall plan.

The timing of Levi's debut is particularly notable.

Jarry started Edmonton's season opener and stopped 17 of 23 shots in the loss to Vancouver. The Oilers came all the way back from a 5-2 deficit to force overtime, but Paul Cotter ultimately scored the winner against Jarry.

That does not mean Edmonton is suddenly moving away from Jarry, but it does give Levi an opportunity to enter the conversation.

Jarry was expected to begin the season as Edmonton's primary goaltender after a difficult 2025-26 campaign, and he has openly talked about wanting to bounce back. Andersen, meanwhile, brings a long NHL résumé and Stanley Cup experience, but he is currently dealing with an undisclosed injury. The Oilers' own season preview noted that Jarry and Levi would handle the crease while Andersen recovers.

That leaves Levi with something of a golden opportunity.

The Oilers did not acquire him simply to sit on the bench. At 24, he is considerably younger than both Jarry and Andersen, and Edmonton could view him as a potential longer-term answer if he can establish himself at the NHL level. Levi has only 39 NHL games under his belt entering the season, so there is still plenty of uncertainty surrounding exactly what he can become.

But there is also reason for optimism. Levi has the athleticism and technical ability that made him a highly regarded prospect, and Edmonton has an elite offensive core led by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. If Levi can provide reliable goaltending behind that group, he could quickly become much more important to the Oilers than many expected when training camp opened.

And tonight is the first test.

Levi has already said he wants to "be the guy," but he has also emphasized that he is focused on taking things one step at a time rather than trying to win the No. 1 job in a single game.

That may be the right approach.

The Oilers have three goaltenders with very different profiles: Jarry is the veteran trying to reclaim his form, Andersen is the experienced veteran waiting to return from injury, and Levi is the young goalie with perhaps the biggest unknown ceiling.

If Levi plays well tonight in Vancouver, however, the Oilers' goaltending conversation could become a lot more complicated — and a lot more interesting — very quickly.