Allen Mitchell discussed five potential targets for the Edmonton Oilers in a recent article for The Athletic, and a St. Louis Blues goalie prospect made the cut - Colten Ellis.
Mitchell argued that Ellis' strong play at the American Hockey League (AHL) could make him a good goalie for the Oilers to take a chance on if he hits the waiver wire before the start of the season.
When looking at the Oilers' current goaltending situation, it is understandable that Mitchell views Ellis as a possible target for Edmonton. While Ellis would not give the Oilers a proven NHL starter if they brought him in, he would give them another goalie to consider for their NHL roster.
While the Blues have Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer as their clear one-two punch in goal, Ellis is a goalie who they would likely love to keep in their system if they can. The 24-year-old goaltender had a strong 2024-25 season with the Springfield Thunderbirds, where he posted a 22-14-3 record, a 2.63 goals-against average, and a .922 save percentage. This was after he posted a .924 save percentage in 16 games with Springfield in 2023-24. With this, it would be excellent if the Bles could keep Ellis around as their AHL starter/third-string goalie, especially for when injuries arise.
However, with how well Ellis has played, he certainly could grab the attention of the Oilers or another team that needs help between the pipes if he hits waivers. Keep in mind, he now needs to pass through waivers to be sent back down to Springfield, which would open the door for the Blues to lose him for nothing. With Hofer just being extended and Binnington being the Blues' No. 1 goalie, it is very likely that Ellis will be placed on waivers before the season, as Mitchell noted.
With all of this, Ellis will be a goalie to keep a very close eye on once we get closer to the regular-season. We recently saw the Vancouver Canucks trade promising goalie Arturs Silovs to the Pittsburgh Penguins this summer to avoid the very likely scenario of losing him through waivers. Could the Blues do the same with Ellis? Time will tell.
Ex-Blues Pat Maroon Lands New Gig
After spending the 2024-25 season with the Chicago Blackhawks, former <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/st-louis-blues">St. Louis Blues</a> forward Pat Maroon announced his retirement from professional hockey. This marked the end of a solid 14-year NHL career for Maroon.