‘No issues’: New Oilers goalie confident knee will hold up despite injury history

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (31) reacts during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the New Jersey Devils, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

One of the Edmonton Oilers’ new goalies says his knee is fine despite him being sidelined during last month’s Stanley Cup Final because of it.

Frederik Andersen, who signed a one-year, $2.8-million contract with the National Hockey League team on Wednesday, told media that although he tweaked his knee in the second game of the championship series, he is having “no issues” with it now.

The 36-year-old Dane said he “was reassured it was just needing some time to rest” and that surgery would be unnecessary.

“That was obviously very reassuring,” said Andersen, who last played for the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 3 of their eventual Cup victory over the Vegas Golden Knights in six games.

He spent five seasons in Carolina, signing three contracts with them over that span, at times dealing with injuries and a blood-clotting issue that saw him miss four months of playing time in the middle of Carolina’s 2023-24 campaign.

He put up a 16-15-5 record, an .874-save percentage and a 3.05 goals-against average in 35 games this past regular season before going on a 13-2 run in the playoffs, in which he posted a .910-save percentage and a 1.89 goals-against average.

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In 159 career games with the Hurricanes, he went 98-49-10 and recorded a .906-save percentage and a 2.45 goals-against average.

Before that, he spent half a decade with the Toronto Maple Leafs, some of that time under Mike Babcock, who is now head coach of the Oilers.

“He was a great coach, great (with) X’s and O’s,” Andersen said. “I thought he got a lot out of our group. We were a young team then. I’m excited to see what we can do together and in this new opportunity.”

That opportunity will include potentially platooning with two other netminders – Tristan Jarry and Devon Levi, the latter of whom the Oilers also acquired on Day 1 of NHL free agency in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres – a possibility Andersen welcomes.

“(It’s) something we’ll have to manage,” he said, adding the NHL’s schedule “has changed from what it used to be” and that gameplay has evolved, too.

“(It) makes it more demanding to play a lot of games and still perform the way you want to do it.”

Prospect signs 2-year pact

The Oilers announced Monday morning they’ve signed forward Owen Michaels to a two-year contract extension worth $900,000 per season.

The 23-year-old American had joined the NHL team in April after three years in U.S. college hockey with Western Michigan.

He was a Hobey Baker Trophy finalist this past season as the top men’s player in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) hockey action . Last year, he led the Broncos to a national championship while winning Most Outstanding Player honours in the NCAA Frozen Four.