Oilers hit with three more injury blows after Ryan Nugent-Hopkins setback
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Mike Babcock says Matthew Savoie is out about eight weeks, Frederik Andersen might return in December and Mattias Janmark is a long way off.
The Edmonton Oilers are still waiting on some important names to get healthy, and Mike Babcock did not sugarcoat it.
The new head coach shared fresh timelines on three injured players, and none of them sound quick.
Forward Matthew Savoie is looking at about eight weeks on the sidelines.
That stings for a 22-year-old the Oilers pegged for a meaningful role this season.
Edmonton landed him from Buffalo in July 2024 in the Ryan McLeod trade.
Then there is Frederik Andersen.
Babcock floated December as a possible return for the veteran goalie, and he attached a maybe to it.
Andersen signed a one-year deal on July 1 after winning the Stanley Cup with Carolina, and Babcock knows him well from their days together in Toronto.
What it means in goal
Andersen's injury history was always the worry with this signing, which is why the Oilers planned to use three goalies.
Tristan Jarry, who arrived from Pittsburgh in a December 2025 trade, and Devon Levi, who came over from Buffalo this July, will carry the crease until Andersen is ready.
That is not a disaster on paper, but it removes the safety net Edmonton thought it had built.
If one of those two struggles or gets hurt, the depth chart gets thin in a hurry.
Janmark is a long way off
Mattias Janmark got the vaguest update of the bunch.
Babcock said he is a long time away and gave no date.
Janmark signed a three-year, $4.35 million extension in July 2024.
Camp opened with Andersen, Savoie, Janmark and defenseman Alex Regula all sidelined.
A rocky start with this many players out would put early pressure on the new coaching staff.
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