NHL News: Connor McDavid’s Oilers reportedly cut short by Patrick Kane’s Red Wings looking to bolster key area

The Edmonton Oilers remain in the goaltending market of the 2025-26 NHL season. While far from desperate, the Oilers are antsy about their crease. As recent reports indicate, Patrick Kane’s Detroit Red Wings have played a big role in depriving Connor McDavid and company from a key addition.

Like the 1930s classic it’s all quiet on the Western coast. Especially in Edmonton, where McDavid and the Oilers are still scrabbling at the pieces of their broken hearts. Scattered all over the floor, it’s going to take a while for Edmonton to put all the pieces together. Hope remains the Oilers will somehow manage to push through, but this NHL offseason is proving to be a litmus test.

If they can make it past, better days might very well be ahead of them. Yet if they don’t, the house of cards might come crashing down in Alberta. The ‘City of Champions’ anxiously awaits for the long-time Stanley Cup-drought to be snapped — and for that slogan to come back into use.

On that note, addressing the goaltending department was a crucial task in Edmonton. Yet, there remains to be an announcement on any boost to the net in the Gateway to the North. After the Red Wings helped Kane and company with the acquisition of Josh Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks, the climb became even steeper for McDavid’s Oilers to find their netminder.

“The Oilers re-engaged before Anaheim traded John Gibson to Detroit to at least see what the price tag was,” insider David Pagnotta commented on Edmonton’s goalie pursuit, via The Big Show podcast. “Other than an inquiry to Boston I think in November for Jeremy Swayman, I haven’t gotten the sense they’ve heavily explored the goalie market.“

Bold move

There aren’t many clear cut options for the Oilers to bring in and immediately take over the number one job in net. However, there are several names around the NHL who might be worth a shot. On that note, an insider suggested Tristan Jarry as a possible fit for McDavid’s Edmonton.

“I don’t how [Stan] Bowman is going to do this,” insider Jeff Marek said, per Inside Sports. “I’ve wondered about someone like Tristan Jarry; it would certainly take some retention on the Pittsburgh side of things.”

Much-needed

The Red Wings were one of the most active organizations in the goalie market this offseason. After a turbulent 2025–26 NHL campaign, Todd McLellan and Detroit decided to take matters into their own hands — especially in the crease, where Kane and company have seen many faces but few who managed to establish themselves.

For goalies in Original Six franchises, the pressure makes the net feel bigger and the puck smaller. Every play carries that much more weight. Trading for an experienced netminder like Gibson might be just what the doctor ordered for the Red Wings. This past season, Detroit used five different goalies — but in this case, more didn’t necessarily mean merrier.

Now or never

Unable to establish consistency in net, the constant merry-go-round of goaltenders only underlined the dramatic campaign the Red Wings endured. The end result? A ninth straight year without an appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

For the Oilers, the drama in the crease has been a never-ending headache as well. McDavid and company manage to reach the decisive stages of the postseason, but it never seems to be enough. Perhaps all Edmonton is missing is stability in goal. Or perhaps that’s just a smokescreen for bigger voids.