Tomkins Stands Tall for Oilers in Seventh NHL Start
The 32-year-old goaltender stopped 27 of 28 shots as Edmonton defeated the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.
By Jacob Reynolds ·
After nearly three years away from the NHL, Matt Tomkins returned to the top tier of professional hockey to deliver a career-best performance. The 32-year-old goaltender anchored a 11th win in 15 games for the Edmonton Oilers, stopping 27 of 28 shots against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.
Tomkins’ path to this moment was long and winding. He began in Sherwood Park, Alberta, before playing college hockey at Ohio State. He spent time in the American Hockey League with the Indy Fuel and Rockford IceHogs, and played in Sweden for Frolunda and Farjestads BK. He also served as Canada’s starter at the 2022 Beijing Olympics when the NHL withdrew from the tournament. His first NHL start came in 2023, a few months after he turned 29.
The gap between his first and seventh NHL starts was 928 days. During that span, he played 74 games in the AHL for the Syracuse Crunch and Bakersfield Condors. He had not started a regular-season game since April 17, 2024, when he last played for the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Injuries to teammates Devon Levi and Frederik Andersen, combined with a back-to-back schedule, created the opening for Tomkins. He described the situation with a mix of gratitude and realism. “The human element, there's maybe a little bit of doubt,” he said. “Not from your ability, but more so just the opportunity. There's only 64 jobs at any given time and incredible goalies all over the world are fighting for them every single day.”
Captain Connor McDavid praised Tomkins’ composure in a high-profile venue. “He was awesome for us,” McDavid said. “He just gave us a chance to win.. He was just solid, honestly: made the saves he needed to and gave us a chance.” McDavid added that Tomkins worked hard during the summer in Edmonton and that the team was happy for him.
Tomkins acknowledged that his time in the NHL may be limited. Tristan Jarry has recently recorded back-to-back shutouts, and Levi and Andersen are returning to fitness. Tomkins said he tried to enjoy the day and contribute to the team’s victory. “It’s been tough, but it’s been enjoyable at the same time,” he said. “I love to play, and my career has taken me all over the world, and I've enjoyed every step.”
Source: KSL.com
