Mike Babcock just inherited an Oilers headache that isn't going anywhere

Mike Babcock inherited a crease with three NHL goaltenders on it: Frederik Andersen, Tristan Jarry and Devon Levi. The consensus read is that carrying three is a temporary mess he'll sort out in camp.

Stan Bowman built that room in a single afternoon on July 2, signing Andersen and trading a 2028 third-round pick to Buffalo for Levi.

The framing across coverage is that changes between the pipes are coming soon.

The problem with that framing is the fine print. Andersen's one-year deal carries a full no-movement clause, so he cannot be waived or sent down without his blessing.

That leaves Jarry and Levi as the only theoretical exits, and neither is clean.

Jarry has two years left at a $5.375 million cap hit, and burying him would require passing him through waivers first.

Edmonton isn't eager to expose a goalie at that price, and a buyout would leave dead money on the books for years.

Levi, per reporting at the time of the trade, is no longer waiver-exempt and would also have to clear waivers to reach the AHL.

The Oilers just paid a pick to get him, so risking him on the wire for nothing defeats the point.

Strip out the panic and the honest version appears: this trio stays together because moving anyone means giving away an asset or eating a bad look.

The genuine issue isn't too many goalies to choose from. It's that the two Babcock will lean on most, Andersen at 36 and Jarry coming off an .858 save percentage, are the least durable, while the youngster with upside is the only movable piece.

Three goalies isn't the setup Edmonton has to escape. It's the setup the roster math traps them in.

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