The Edmonton Oilers’ recent pursuit of goaltending stability has mostly had to do with a glaring need for improvement. While the organization ultimately landed on Tristan Jarry as its most aggressive move, Elliotte Friedman confirmed last week that the Oilers had explored Alex Lyon before pivoting to Jarry.
Lyon was clearly part of a broader evaluation of cost-controlled, league-average starters who could stabilize the position without major asset loss. With the former Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender leaving Thursday night’s game with a lower-body injury, it seems Lyon could in fact be the next goalie trade the Oilers make.
Buffalo’s crowded crease and Edmonton’s radar
Buffalo’s goaltending depth chart is unusually congested. Lyon, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, and Colten Ellis have all rotated through NHL starts while Devon Levi remains in the AHL as a long-term investment.
The numbers make the situation untenable long term with four goalies requiring ice time, three at the NHL level, and a roster already tight enough to force demotions elsewhere.
With Jarmo Kekäläinen stepping in as general manager, resolving structural inefficiencies like this will likely be prioritized. Carrying excess goaltenders offers diminishing returns especially when one of them holds trade value and a manageable contract.
Alex Lyon’s performance profile
Despite being the oldest goaltender in Buffalo’s rotation, Lyon has been their most dependable statistically. He leads the team in games played with 17 appearances posting a .905 save percentage and a 2.99 goals-against average. Those numbers sit comfortably in league-average territory which is significant given Buffalo’s defensive inconsistencies.
Zooming out further, Lyon has maintained a .902 save percentage and a 2.96 goals-against average across 91 games since the start of the 2022–23 season split between Detroit and Buffalo. That sample size is large enough to establish baseline reliability.
For Edmonton, whose defensive structure is far more stable than Buffalo’s and that profile projects as functional itself.
Lyon’s playoff credibility still matters in this market
One reason Lyon remains on Edmonton’s radar is his 2022–23 stretch in Florida. He carried the Panthers through a late season surge that forced them into the playoffs and appeared in four postseason games during their run to the Stanley Cup Final.
While he was not the long-term starter, that run easily changed league perception of Lyon as someone capable of handling high-leverage minutes without crunbling under that.
For a contender like Edmonton, experience in pressure environments often outweighs raw upside and also more when paired with elite scoring support.
Bet like a pro here with Bet99—Ontario’s go-to for elite odds and nonstop action. And outside Ontario, Canadians bet better here with Bet99—bringing top-tier odds and action from coast to coast.
His contract value aligns with contender precedent
Lyon’s $1.5M cap hit fits squarely into the recent trend of contenders acquiring mid-tier goaltending insurance. Analyst Jeff Marek recently mentioned that Colorado’s trade for Scott Wedgewood last season provides a near-identical template for a possible Alex Lyon move with similar age, similar cap hit, and modest acquisition cost.
“This has shades of Colorado last year written all over it. That one Lyon to Edmonton, feels like it would make sense for both sides. A) Buffalo wants to solve its problem. B) Edmonton is still looking for another netminder,” he said.
Edmonton can make the money work without retaining salary if Calvin Pickard is moved out or reassigned. The cap mechanics are somewhat straightforward and the commitment would not interfere with future roster planning.
However, Buffalo is unlikely to have interest in Pickard as a return which shifts the negotiation toward draft compensation. Edmonton could escalate pick value rather than sacrifice roster players including those with trade protection or utility in depth roles.
Marek suggested that names like Mattias Janmark, David Tomášek, or Kasperi Kapanen could be involved, but again it seems likely that a pick-heavy package will be a cleaner solution.
From Buffalo’s side, the incentive is more about resolving a bottleneck.
Alex Lyon remains a live option near the deadline
If Buffalo chooses to untangle its goaltending depth before the deadline, Lyon will be one of the most logical trade candidates league-wide. He is someone with manageable cost and playoff exposure without probably requiring a significant asset commitment.
For Edmonton, the continued interest is valid given that championship teams must not leave their most fragile position to chance. Safe to say, Lyon fits precisely into that margin-of-error calculus.
Follow The Oil Rig on social media!
One Comment