EDMONTON – As far as Ben Scrivens and the Edmonton Oilers were concerned, there was no sense waiting. The time was right – the fit, all too perfect.
After being acquired from the Los Angeles Kings back on Jan. 15, Scrivens, a product of Spruce Grove, AB, has officially earned the opportunity of his career.
“Now the real work begins,” Scrivens said shortly after signing a new two-year, $4.6-million extension. “Right now I’m competing with (Ilya Bryzgalov) for the rest of the season. Next year, I’m looking to come into camp and assert myself as ‘the guy.’
“It’s an exciting day for me and my family, but I’m happy to have (the contract) over and done with so I can focus on hockey for the rest of the year.”
The 27-year-old was set to become an unrestricted free agent on Jul. 1. While free agency has proven to help maximize a player’s earning potential, Scrivens was more interested in the opportunity to become a starter.
“I’m comfortable here,” he said. “I made a decision that’s best for me, career-wise and for my family. It’s great to be playing here at home in Edmonton. It’s icing on the cake.”
Scrivens has had an exemplary start to his career as an Oiler, posting a 3-4-0 record, 2.15 goals-against average and .940 save percentage. Among the many highlights, an immaculate, 59-save performance on Jan. 29 against the San Jose Sharks – a night in which he set a new NHL record for saves made in a shutout, electrifying the hockey world with one of the most spectacular individual acts of all time.
“I feel like I can give the team a chance to win on any given night and steal some games if I need to,” Scrivens said.
Overall this season, he has a 10-9-4 record with four shutouts, pacing the league in save percentage with a mark of .934.
So while the early returns have been as positive as anyone could have hoped for, some pertinent questions remain. Can he be that 60- or 65-game starter the Oilers have been pining for since the departure of Dwayne Roloson back in the summer of 2009? If not, can he perform as effectively in tandem, as part of a 1A, 1B rotation?
Barring a trade or the unlikely promotion of Richard Bachman, Tyler Bunz or Laurent Brossoit to the bigs, the Oilers will look to the free agent pool to add another goaltender over the summer. Jonas Hiller and Brian Elliott are the most likely of targets when the NHL’s silly season opens up on Jul. 1, assuming they’re still available; Bryzgalov is not expected to return.
What the Oilers have now is flexibility moving forward – a risk-free approach with an emerging player, bridging any uncertainty in long-term cost and potential.
“The next couple years are going to be big for me,” Scrivens said. “There are a lot of things that have been getting better for me and my development, and a lot of that has to do with the great coaches I’ve had in my career; Frankie Allaire and Ricky St. Croix in Toronto, then Billy Ranford in LA and now Freddy (Chabot) here in Edmonton.
“I don’t know if I would have been able to get a better opportunity to establish myself and take this next step in my career.”
What is certain is that he wouldn’t have with the Kings, not with U.S. Olympian Jonathan Quick and his 10-year, $58-million deal standing in the way. “The writing was on the wall,” Scrivens said.
Dallas Eakins, who coached Scrivens for several seasons with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, isn’t at all surprised by the undrafted goalie’s dogged determination.
“(It’s) incredible,” he said. “He’s progressed so much to get to this point. I think that he believes there are a lot of people out there that don’t believe he can be a No. 1 goaltender, and he certainly wants to prove them wrong.
“He’s got a fire lit inside him.”
As for whether or not he can become the team’s undisputed starter, “the jury’s still out.”
Not for long, mind you. Scrivens has 58 games of NHL experience to his name, all of which combined have yielded some of the league’s best boxcars. Remember when Devan Dubnyk and Jason LaBarbera were manning the starting rotation? Things have changed.
“It’s great for the young man. I’ve been lucky enough to watch him progress from a kid out of college (Cornell University) to a guy earning an NHL contract,” Eakins said.
“He’ll continue that here to see if he can secure that [starting] role and become the goalie he thinks he can become.”
Eakins will continue to play both goaltenders down the stretch, riding the ‘hot hand,’ but Scrivens is expected to get the start on Tuesday against the Ottawa Senators.
“This team is going to play the goaltender that gives them the best chance to win each and every night,” he said.
“I’ve got to work hard to make sure that’s me.”