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Joel Hofer, St. Louis Blues (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Oilers Should Offer Sheet Blues’ Goaltender Joel Hofer

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Matt Parks | Last updated Jun 21, 2025 10:25 AM ET

One thing is evident: the Edmonton Oilers need an upgrade in net. General manager Stan Bowman and head coach Kris Knoblauch spoke to the media on Friday, June 20, discussing their priorities heading into the summer. During their press conference, Bowman stated: “The defence will have the least number of changes. I like how they played. The forwards and goalies are where we will have some changes.” It’s great to see that he recognizes what needs to be done in goal; now it’s up to him to do it. The free agent goalie class is thin, so a trade is one option. However, the Oilers could opt to go a different route.

That other route is through an offer sheet, and there’s one goalie that comes to mind. St. Louis Blues goaltender Joel Hofer is a pending restricted free agent (RFA) in need of a contract. The soon-to-be 25-year-old netminder had a 2.64 goals-against average and a .904 save percentage (SV%) in 31 games last season, and has a career .908 SV% with no playoff experience. He also posted a .914 SV% during the 2023-24 season. The 6-foot-5 netminder looks primed to become a full-time starter in the NHL, and with limited assets to play with, the Oilers should seriously consider giving him an offer sheet.

Oilers Can Make It Work

The Oilers can make this work by only giving up a second-round pick. They can offer him a four-year deal with a $4.68 million cap hit, which only requires a second-round pick as compensation. To pursue an offer sheet, the team must possess its own draft picks to proceed, and Edmonton still has its 2026 second-round pick. The player must accept the deal, but why would he turn down $18.7 million guaranteed money on a Stanley Cup contender? He won’t get that contract in St. Louis unless they match. As of right now, the Blues have just over $5 million in projected cap space, so they could match if they choose. But they have Jordan Binnington signed for two more seasons with a $6 million cap hit, and he’s their guy. If they match, do they want roughly $11 million allocated to their goalie tandem? That remains to be seen, but this is an intriguing option.

If Edmonton goes this route, they must free up some cash. They currently have just under $12 million in projected cap space this summer, but must allocate at least $10 million to RFA Evan Bouchard to avoid another offer sheet. So, they must trade some pieces to save money and get younger. If they trade Adam Henrique and Viktor Arvidsson, they’ll save $7 million, and another $5.13 million by dealing Evander Kane if no salary retention is involved. Changes are coming to Oil Country this offseason. Players will be traded, and new faces will be brought in.

If they make this move, would they trust Hofer with a full starter’s workload? If not, it might be beneficial to keep Stuart Skinner in the fold and have a tandem with Hofer, with the latter getting the majority of the starts. Hofer and Skinner are an upgrade over Skinner and Pickard. Unfortunately, that will leave Pickard as the odd man out, but this is a business, and decisions need to be made. This scenario is plausible, but Bowman must get creative.

Oilers Can Enact Revenge on the Blues

While this may sound petty, the Oilers have an opportunity to enact revenge on St. Louis from last offseason. The Blues put Edmonton in a tricky spot when they gave Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg offer sheets. The Oilers were strapped against the cap, so they chose not to match either of them. They received a second and a third-round pick as compensation. Now, they have a chance to return the favour while filling a need in the process. You shouldn’t do business just to get back at the people who wronged you, but in this case, it makes sense.

It’s a win-win situation for Edmonton. They either fill the need and get the player, or force St. Louis against the salary cap and not lose any assets. This situation is worth a shot, and if it doesn’t work, they can always explore the trade market.