The Edmonton Oilers could have drafted a goalie who is now NHL ready two years ago.
Ken Holland’s draft record with the Edmonton Oilers isn’t perfect. Some may consider Philip Broberg to be one of those blunders. The Swedish defender is currently playing for the Bakersfield Condors in the American Hockey League.
While he hasn’t been a “slam dunk” like other blueliners taken in that draft, such as Detroit Red Wings Calder Trophy winner Moritz Seider. This is insignificant in comparison to a decision made two years later.
The Oilers traded the 20th overall pick to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for the 22nd and 90th overall picks in the 2021 NHL entry draft. With those picks, the Oilers chose Xavier Bourgault and Luca Munzenberger, while the Wild chose Jesper Wallstedt.
Jesper Wallstedt is a promising goaltender prospect.
Wallstedt is a Swedish goalie who has been on fire since the year he was drafted. In his first post-draft season (D+1), he appeared in 22 games in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). He had a 1.98 goals against average (GAA) and a save percentage (SV%) of.918.
Last season, he made the transition to the North American game by playing for the AHL’s Iowa Wild. He appeared in 38 games, posting a 2.68 GAA and a.908 SV%. Excellent numbers for a 20-year-old rookie AHL goalie. His overall record was 18-15-5.
He’s on a roll this year, with a 6-2 record to start the season. His 2.01 GAA and.932 SV% rank him sixth and fourth in the AHL among goalies who have played at least five games this season, respectively. He already has two shutouts this season, one more than he had last year.
On November 6th, Wallstedt was named AHL player of the week. His strong play earned him a call-up to serve as the team’s third-string goalie in Sweden during the Global Series.
Goaltending for the Edmonton Oilers Situation
Stuart Skinner was a standout for the Oilers last season. He did well in his 13-game stint with the team the previous year. After struggling early in the season, he appears to be finding his stride with strong back-to-back performances against the Seattle Kraken and the New York Islanders.
Olivier Rodrigue is another goalie to mention. Last season, he had a 2.77 GAA and.912 SV% across 29 games and a 14-14-1 record.
The Oilers’ goaltending situation is showing some promise. Some may be concerned about Jack Campbell’s slump in the AHL and Calvin Pickard’s inability to play since his recall.
The Oilers could use a goalie like Wallstedt right now, who appears to be on his way to making an impact in the NHL.
