I'm calling it now, Devon Levi is the Edmonton Oilers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers#google_vignette]' No. 1 goaltender. Levi is expected to start against the Utah Mammoth tonight, which would give him five starts through Edmonton's first seven games. He's won all four of his appearances so far, including a win that involved 39 of 40 shots against the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday. I'm not sure what else he needs to do to convince Babcock that he deserves the majority of the workload. Levi stopped 39 shots, a career high, and looked comfortable doing it. Los Angeles certainly had its opportunities, although Edmonton's defensive structure helped keep the Kings from getting many of the odd-man rushes and high-danger chances that have caused problems in previous seasons. After the game, Levi seemed pretty pleased with the way things were going. “Honestly, it's pretty impressive how we're able to score ballistically, and also play a really solid defensive game,” Levi said. “I know the message that Babs sent is that we have better. I mean, if that's our bad game, that's a great game.” He's got a point, and the fact that Edmonton can give up 40 shots while still winning comfortably says quite a bit about how much things have changed under Babcock. The Oilers are 5-0-1, the only team in the NHL without a regulation loss, and Levi has been responsible for four of those wins. His .903 save percentage and 2.76 goals-against average certainly win him the Vezina Trophy, but it's far better than Edmonton's strength in net in recent memory. Not to mention, Levi is the first goaltender in franchise history to win all four of his first-ever starts with the team. Of course, the Oilers have played better defensively in front of him, and that has contributed to part of his success. Oilers’ Depth Problem Looks Concerning Until You See What's Coming [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/0972770c-b8ca-418d-8714-b603f342cc12.jpeg] Oilers’ Depth Problem Looks Concerning Until You See What's Coming While critics point to a growing reliance on Edmonton’s superstars, a wave of returning talent from injured reserve promises to stabilize the lineup and quiet depth concerns. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers/latest-news/oilers-depth-problem-looks-concerning-until-you-see-whats-coming] Still, somebody has to stop the puck, and Levi has been doing a pretty good job of that. Tristan Jarry has made two appearances, going 1-0-1 with a 3.46 goals-against average and an .837 save percentage. He allowed six goals in Edmonton's season-opening overtime loss to Vancouver before responding with a solid performance against San Jose, stopping 19 of 20 shots in a 3-1 win. Jarry played moderately well over a very large sample size, particularly after the way his season started, although it's difficult to ignore the fact that Levi has already played twice as often and is expected to get another start tonight. Babcock hasn't officially named a No. 1 goaltender, as Edmonton so rarely likes to do. Levi wasn't necessarily expected to take over the crease this quickly, particularly with Jarry still under contract, but this really is his only chance with Andersson returning this season. Four wins are a pretty small sample, and there's a difference between playing well for a couple of weeks and being the goaltender a team relies on through an entire NHL schedule, even if he's just a backup. "I See A Team That's Upbeat:" Oilers Riding High Of California Sweep [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/48dc1f06-26e1-4de4-91e9-fea922a027cd.jpeg] "I See A Team That's Upbeat:" Oilers Riding High Of California Sweep The <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers#google_vignette">Edmonton Oilers</a> are six games into the season, haven't lost in regulation, and according to Connor McDavid, they're having a pretty good time doing it. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers/latest-news/i-see-a-team-thats-upbeat-oilers-riding-high-of-california-sweep] Right now, Babcock only needs to decide who gives his team the best chance of winning tonight, and judging by morning skate, he's going with Levi again. For reference, reporters are able to tell which goaltenders will start that night depending on which net they're in for morning skate. In Edmonton, the starter always uses the net in front of the Zamboni entrance during morning skate. Typically, when there is an obvious number one, said goalie will use that net in practices too. There's also the matter of what this means for Jarry, who was supposed to be an important part of Edmonton's plans in goal. He's had one difficult outing and one good one, which isn't nearly enough to write him off completely, but it's hard to imagine Babcock taking starts away from Levi simply because Jarry has the larger contract. Levi's start also comes against a Utah team that's opened the season 5-2-0 and has been averaging nearly four goals per game. A perfect defensive test for Edmonton. Babcock can keep calling it a competition if he wants, but over six games, Levi seems to have already won it. See more of The Hockey News on Google and save us as a preferred source [https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=thehockeynews.com]. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here [http://eepurl.com/i7OC4I]. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
