The Edmonton Oilers shook up their goaltending situation today, landing Tristan Jarry from the Pittsburgh Penguins in a deal that’s got everyone talking.
The trade sends Jarry and forward Samuel Poulin to Edmonton, while Pittsburgh gets goalie Stuart Skinner, defenseman Brett Kulak, and a second-round pick in 2029.
It’s a move that’s costing the Oilers an extra $850,000 against the salary cap.
“It’s not so much a comment on Stuart Skinner, it’s just really maybe time for something different here,” Oilers GM Stan Bowman said, trying to explain the switch.
But hockey insiders aren’t completely sold on the move.
“Jarry for Skinner is a bit of a lateral move,” says Mark Spector. “Jarry still has to prove he can carry the load for a top team.” He adds that Edmonton’s players seemed to have lost some confidence in Skinner.
The 28-year-old Jarry has been playing well this season, but he’s only appeared in 14 games. And his playoff experience? Pretty limited.
What’s interesting is Jarry’s recent turnaround. “His confidence was the biggest difference from last year to this year,” notes Joe Brand, pointing to improvements in his rebound control and puck handling.
But there are some red flags. Just last year, Jarry let in the first shot of the game six different times in 22 games. He even ended up in the minors for a bit.
Some analysts think the Oilers might have missed better opportunities. “Askarov was traded. Knight was traded. Wallstedt was sitting there on draft day,” points out Cam Robinson. “Edmonton only has itself to blame for its goaltending situation.”
The deal also brought over Samuel Poulin, a 24-year-old power forward who’s starting to find his game in the AHL. That could be a nice bonus for an Oilers farm system that needs depth.
The real test starts now. Edmonton’s betting big that Jarry can be the answer in net they’ve been looking for. They’ll get their first look at their new goalie pretty quick – the Penguins visit Edmonton on Tuesday.
