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The Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers have made significant changes to their goaltending situations. Toronto signed Sergei Bobrovsky to a 3-year contract, while Frederick Andersen joined Edmonton. Both goaltenders boast impressive resumes, but which team ultimately made the right decision in their pursuit of success? The stakes are high as each franchise aims to bolster its chances for a deep playoff run in the 2026-2027 NHL season.
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Jun 22, 2025; Fort Lauderdale, Florida, UNITED STATES; Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) hoist the Stanley Cup during the Stanley Cup championship parade and rally. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Sergei Bobrovsky is coming off a down season in Florida, but in his previous two seasons, he capped off a 36-win season in 2023 and a 33-win season in 2024. The Leafs needed a goalie who could be their starter and be serviceable. The issue with Toronto is that they haven’t been able to find a sustainable starter.
Anthony Stolarz has had injuries; Joseph Woll, who gave them some starts, is now in Philadelphia; and now, with Bobrovsky, Toronto hopes he can be their starter for the entire season.
Jun 14, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (31) raises the the Stanley Cup after defeating the Vegas Golden Knights in game six of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
For Edmonton, Frederick Anderson just had one of the most impressive playoff performances in some time. What has been the issue for the Oilers? Goaltending. Stuart Skinner is no longer in Edmonton. Freddie Andersen ranks 3rd among active goalies with 59 career playoff wins and 5th all-time in regular-season win % among those with 500 games played.
The biggest concern for Anderson is his health. He has been banged up multiple times during his tenure in Carolina. His contract could be a steal: Edmonton signs Frederik Andersen to a one-year deal worth $1M AAV, with the opportunity to get up to $2.8M AAV based on performance bonuses. Edmonton went the cheaper route, but it could pay off in the long run if Anderson stays healthy.
May 29, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (31) walks past fans to the ice in game five of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs before the first period against the Montreal Canadiens at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
The Oilers signed the better goaltender right now. Anderson has overall been better in the regular season and playoffs than Bobrovsky recently. For the Oilers, you get Anderson on a cheaper deal rather than the 3-year deal for Bobrovsky. Frederick Anderson’s numbers this postseason: 16 games, 1.89 GAA, and a .910 SV%. Bobrovsky needs to get back to his game, or his contract could look bad very quickly for Toronto.
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MORE: Biggest winners and losers in NHL free agency day 1
Maple Leafs
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Jun 22, 2025; Fort Lauderdale, Florida, UNITED STATES; Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) hoist the Stanley Cup during the Stanley Cup championship parade and rally. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Sergei Bobrovsky is coming off a down season in Florida, but in his previous two seasons, he capped off a 36-win season in 2023 and a 33-win season in 2024. The Leafs needed a goalie who could be their starter and be serviceable. The issue with Toronto is that they haven’t been able to find a sustainable starter.
Anthony Stolarz has had injuries; Joseph Woll, who gave them some starts, is now in Philadelphia; and now, with Bobrovsky, Toronto hopes he can be their starter for the entire season.
Oilers
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Jun 14, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (31) raises the the Stanley Cup after defeating the Vegas Golden Knights in game six of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
For Edmonton, Frederick Anderson just had one of the most impressive playoff performances in some time. What has been the issue for the Oilers? Goaltending. Stuart Skinner is no longer in Edmonton. Freddie Andersen ranks 3rd among active goalies with 59 career playoff wins and 5th all-time in regular-season win % among those with 500 games played.
The biggest concern for Anderson is his health. He has been banged up multiple times during his tenure in Carolina. His contract could be a steal: Edmonton signs Frederik Andersen to a one-year deal worth $1M AAV, with the opportunity to get up to $2.8M AAV based on performance bonuses. Edmonton went the cheaper route, but it could pay off in the long run if Anderson stays healthy.
Who Did Better?
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May 29, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (31) walks past fans to the ice in game five of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs before the first period against the Montreal Canadiens at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
The Oilers signed the better goaltender right now. Anderson has overall been better in the regular season and playoffs than Bobrovsky recently. For the Oilers, you get Anderson on a cheaper deal rather than the 3-year deal for Bobrovsky. Frederick Anderson’s numbers this postseason: 16 games, 1.89 GAA, and a .910 SV%. Bobrovsky needs to get back to his game, or his contract could look bad very quickly for Toronto.
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