It’s like unwrapping a brand new toy under the tree, only to have it break the third time you play with it.
Although, to be fair, the Edmonton Oilers’ newest piece wasn’t exactly new. They had asked for something that has been around the block, seen things and was well-travelled already.
But broken in may have just turned into broken down, after Tristan Jarry left a little over halfway through a 3-1 win over the Boston Bruins on Thursday. By Friday morning, the club announced Jarry had been placed on injured reserve, while recalling goaltender Connor Ingram from the Bakersfield Condors of the American Hockey League.
For anyone not interested in doing the quick math, that means Jarry is out for at least one full week, making him unavailable until after the Christmas break, at the earliest.
The Oilers have three games in the meantime, wrapping up a five-game road trip against the Minnesota Wild on Saturday (1 p.m., Sportsnet), before coming home to face the Vegas Golden Knights, who are two points ahead and tied for first in the Pacific, and the Calgary Flames.
Continuing with the math, Ingram’s numbers on the farm have been deplorable since being acquired for future considerations from the Utah Mammoth in early October.
He is 4-5-2 in 11 starts, with a 4.04 goals-against average and a .856 save percentage. Compare that to Oilers backup Calvin Pickard, who is 3-4-2, with a 3.91 goals-against average and a .858 save percentage, and it’s obvious the Oilers are finding themselves in a bit of a pickle.
G-MAN’S TAKE: At least Pickard’s numbers have come against NHL opposition. The good news is he has been playing much better in his recent starts, as well as in relief of Jarry’s predecessor, Stuart Skinner, of late. So, there is a chance they can weather the storm
The issue is when Ingram has to come in and play one of this weekend’s back-to-backs against either Minnesota or Vegas.
Jack Roslovic of the Edmonton Oilers, against the Utah Mammoth at Rogers Place in Edmonton on Tuesday, October 28, 2025.
What is with the Oilers piling up bodies on LTIR?
Adding insult to injury (or at least more injury), the Oilers moved forward Jack Roslovic to long-term injured reserve Friday morning.
In his short time on the ice with the Oilers since signing as an unrestricted free agent Oct. 8, Roslovic had outperformed expectations, with 17 points (10 goals, seven assists) in his last 16 games before missing the past 10 games and counting with an undisclosed injury.
That makes four Oilers players on LTIR, along with: Kasperi Kapanen (lower body), who is expected to be back “around Christmas time,” according to head coach Kris Knoblauch; Jake Walman (undisclosed); and Noah Philp (upper body), who was at least back practising with the team prior to their road trip.
G-MAN’S TAKE: New year, new them?
Minnesota Wild right-winger Ryan Hartman, right, steals the puck from Edmonton Oilers centre Leon Draisaitl during the first period of an NHL hockey game on Jan. 15, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn.
Are they up to the task of facing tough competition?
The last time the Oilers faced Minnesota, they had lost by the tightest of margins, 1-0, on Dec. 2. And considering where they were in the standings both then and now — occupying third place overall behind the first-place Colorado Avalanche and second-place Dallas Stars — that was as close to victory as Oilers fans could have hoped for.
After all, they had just been taken to the woodshed in losing 9-1 to the Avs, and 8-3 to the Stars over the course of a November to un-remember. And nothing the Oilers had been doing suggested Minnesota wasn’t going to run wild over them too.
But they played well. Well enough to win, in fact. Skinner was about as solid as can be in net. The offence got their looks and power play had their chances. The only difference was they had run headlong into a streaking goalie in Jesper Wallstedt, who went 30-for-30 in saves for his fourth shutout in six starts.
This time around, the Oilers come in with a big question mark at the goaltending position. But that doesn’t make Saturday’s game any less of a measuring stick. They have gone a mighty 6-1-1 since their previous meeting with Minnesota to kick off their December schedule.
G-MAN’S TAKE: The Oilers woke up Friday sitting in a four-way tie for 10th overall in the league, and third in the Pacific Division, using their latest run to climb past wild-card spots and into a legitimate playoff position.
Saturday is a chance for the Oilers to not only show those lopsided losses to the top dogs in the league are behind them, but that they are contenders in their run to a third-straight Stanley Cup Final.
E-mail: gmoddejonge@postmedia.com
On X: @StarkRavinMod
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