One of the major storylines this summer for the Edmonton Oilers has been the team’s goaltending situation. The apparent failures by team management to secure a bona fide starting goaltender to play with or replace Stuart Skinner have fueled ongoing speculation.
Without a clear-cut number-one goalie on the free-agent market, the speculation has boiled down to the trade market. The best netminder available for trade this summer, John Gibson, landed with the Detroit Red Wings.
But one starting goalie may become available depending on a unique set of circumstances. Specifically, that goalie could be Buffalo Sabres netminder Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. Luukkonen became the undisputed starter in Buffalo after a solid season in 2023-24. He posted a 2.54 GAA and a .910 SV% in 54 games. That performance earned him a five-year, $23.75 million contract during the 2024 offseason.
Nevertheless, the potential emergence of goalie prospect Devon Levi, whom the Sabres signed to a two-year extension last week, could allow the Sabres to move Luukkonen to a goalie-starved team like the Oilers.
So, here’s what this Oilers-Sabres trade idea could look like:
Oilers get:
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, G
Sabres get:
Stuart Skinner, G
2026 second-round pick
Beau Akey, D
This proposal includes a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, as the Oilers don’t have a first-rounder. That situation forces the Oilers to include one of their better prospects, in this case, Beau Akey.
The Oilers will also have to send another goalie back to Buffalo, Stuart Skinner, who could serve as a tandem netminder or backup to Levi if the Sabres deem him as the unquestioned starter.
Oilers Could Benefit from Luukkonen Taking Over Starting Role
The Oilers could significantly benefit from Luukkonen taking over the crease, as he’s shown to be a stable presence in his two full seasons.
While Luukkonen’s numbers in 2024-25 weren’t as impressive as they were in 2023-24, that’s more of a reflection of the team in front of him than his lack of success.
Having a solid team in front of him, like the Oilers, could drastically shift Luukkonen’s numbers. Going from a team that’s missed the playoffs 14 straight seasons to a club that’s been to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals should boost Luukkonen’s performance.
Overall, the Oilers stand to benefit from getting Luukkonen’s stable presence. He could draw the bulk of the starts during the regular season and into the postseason.
Luukkonen Unproven in Playoffs
The drawback to trading for Luukkonen is his lack of playoff experience. For better or worse, the Oilers’ current tandem, Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard, is battle-tested in the postseason.
So, trading for someone like Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen would mean bringing an unproven playoff goalie into the mix.
Unless the Oilers can land a proven playoff performer like Sergei Bobrovsky or Andrei Vasilevskiy, Edmonton may have no other choice but to give an untested, but solid, goaltender a shot.
As long as the Oilers can keep one of Pickard or Skinner to roll with Luukkonen, the club will have assurance that at least one goalie has playoff experience.
Ultimately, could roll the dice on a goalie like Luukkonen. With the right support, he could solve the Oilers’ goaltending situation for good.
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