I'd not sure if I call this good news or bad news: Nikolai Khabibulin is injured. Yann Danis has been called up by the Oilers to take his spot on the roster. I keep looking for some sort of injury report explaining how serious the Khabibulin injury is (or isn't), but no one is talking. All we know is, Khabibulin has a bad hip, and it doesn't appear to be healing as quickly as it needs to.

Regardless how Khabibulin's hip is, this is likely his last NHL season, and the Oilers need to do what's in their best interest. While some people think the Oilers will only improve marginally this season (you suck, TSN, for saying the Oilers will finish 13th in the Western Conference), there are many, including me, who think they could be a playoff team.

They won't be in the playoffs if they don't have two goalies who can share the duties. Keep in mind we're playing a compressed 48 game schedule...There will be several back-to-backs. 48 games in 96 days, I believe. A game every other day. It's a really, really bad idea to play any starting goalie for, let's say, 40 of those games. Even if the Oilers made the playoffs, Devan Dubnyk would have nothing left if he played that often. Realistically, the Oilers need a backup who can play a third of the games.

The Oilers have a few options here that I'll look at.

Option #1: Wait for Khabibulin to get better. Even if he's only considered day-to-day right now, he's experiencing a nagging injury; the type that ruins a season. Ask Ryan Whitney and he'll tell you. Khabby might not play 100%, and considering he's not that good of a goalie in the first place, 80% quality is concerning. Yann Danis could fill-in, but are we 100% sure he's good enough to play in the NHL?

Another thing to keep in mind when it comes to goaltending is the Oilers lack or organizational depth at the position. Devan Dubnyk has never been a starter, and some question if he's good enough to be. Danis was, at his peak, an NHL backup. Olivier Roy hasn't looked great this season in OKC playing for the Oilers farm team the Barons, and Tyler Bunz hasn't put up good numbers in his first year of pro playing for Stockton of the ECHL. The Oilers have a few random Finnish goalies playing in Europe, but other than that the cupboard is bare.

Organizationally, there's a need to add someone. Having Danis up creates problems for Roy and Bunz who are both in over their heads in the minors.


Option #2: Pick one up on Waivers. The Calgary Flames stuck two goalies on waivers on Thursday - Henrik Karlsson or Leland Irving. Karlsson is Dubnyk-sized, and hasn't been given much of a shot in Calgary (has only appeared in 26 NHL games since coming from Sweden. Irving has been a back-up to the back-up with the Flames farm team this season, so there's little chance the Oilers choose him over Karlsson. Would he be a better option than Danis or Khabibulin? Perhaps. Let's just say I wouldn't be upset if the Oilers attempted to claim Karlsson.


Option #3: Sign a UFA. One name catches my eye: Brent Johnson, former back-up in Pittsburgh. Johnson's numbers stunk in 2011/2012, but his numbers in previous years were solid. He's a veteran goalie and someone who could legitimately push Dubnyk if he finds his groove. Johnson wouldn't be a long-term solution or anything, and if the Oilers wanted to sign him, they might have done it already. But in a pinch, he's a reasonable option open to them.


Option #4: Make a trade. Here's a random list of goalies who could be available: Roberto Luongo, of course, but let's not go there...Jonathan Bernier might also be available, although Jonathan Quick is dealing with an injury and the Kings need someone in net. If the Leafs add Luongo, they might have a goalie to deal (James Reimer or Ben Scrivens)...The Ducks have a goalie in camp the Oilers tried to sign when he was in Sweden, Viktor Fasth. With prospect John Gibson being the future of goaltending in Anaheim, Fasth becomes available. The Islanders have a quality goalie prospect Andres Nilsson, and of course there is the three-headed goalie monster in Ottawa. The only one I can't see them open to dealing is Robin Lehner, who has mega potential. I'm thinking Ben Bishop would be a goalie the Senators would be most likely to deal. Another interesting option could be dealing for JS Giguere from the Colorado Avalanche. They have way too many prospect goalies if you look at their contract list, and they have zero chance at being a playoff team, so they might be open to making a move.

The tough part about making a deal is that the Oilers would need to give something up. Bishop and Fasth are perhaps the two most-likely deals: For Bishop, we're talking a 2nd round pick and a prospect, which is more than they gave up to get him. For Fasth? Maybe the Oilers give back the Ducks 2nd round pick this June. Fasth might be a rental who becomes a UFA this summer; Biship is set to become an RFA.


Conclusion
My best guess is they'll look at Karlsson closely. There's very little risk involved in giving him a shot, and there's not much difference in quality between he, Johnson, and Bishop. There's no reason to give up draft picks when you don't have to.

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