It’s the time of year when teams are dwindling their rosters down to the final 23. The Edmonton Oilers made progress with that by putting 31-year-old goaltender Matt Tomkins on waivers. If he clears, he’ll join the Bakersfield Condors in the American Hockey League (AHL).
All three of the Condors’ netminders from last season—Brett Brochu, Collin Delia, and Olivier Rodrigue—are playing in Europe for the 2025–26 campaign. Needing to pivot, Edmonton signed Tomkins to a two-year contract in July.
Given Tomkins’ age, there’s no “unknown” variable here. At this stage, he is what he is: an AHL-level goalie who can fill a starter or backup role for the Condors. He held his own a couple of seasons ago for the Tampa Bay Lightning, accumulating a 3–2–1 record and a .892 save percentage, but Tomkins is best suited as someone who can hold down the minor-league fort.
Should either Stuart Skinner or Calvin Pickard, the Oilers’ top guys, suffer an injury, Tomkins may be called on to save the day. But for now, he’ll prepare for his Condors debut. In 2024–25, he had a .907 save percentage, 2.55 goals-against average, and a 12–10–4 record for the Syracuse Crunch—the Lightning’s AHL affiliate.
