The Oilers paid a big price to acquire a flawed starter in Tristan Jarry, but there are signs that he could be a much better fit in Edmonton.
Stuart Skinner is a pending UFA, and was heading into another must-win playoff year with issues of consistency. With losing the starting role in the last two playoffs and faced with a major salary raise, the Oilers couldn’t afford to keep Skinner on both ends.
Edmonton Oilers will win Jarry trade due to lower salary cap, better situational fit
NHL insider Pierre LeBrun confirmed the Oilers made the trade for Jarry for salary certainty, and raising their floor for playoff starts.
Skinner is a pending unrestricted free agent, and the Oilers weren’t comfortable going down the road of an extension with him after his inconsistent play again this season.
When Connor McDavid signed his two-year extension before the season, it put the Oilers’ front office on notice to do all it could to give the team the best possible shot at winning the Cup in that window.
Sitting back and doing nothing about the goaltending wasn’t an option.
On both counts, the Oilers are absolutely right to move on from Skinner for Tristan Jarry.
In high-danger scoring chances, Jarry has posted much better results than Skinner. The new starter will be able to bail out the Oilers leaky defence far more than Skinner would. Skinner struggled mightily with his lateral movement, an area that Jarry excels at.
Jarry has posted some subpar numbers in recent seasons, but was playing on some struggling Penguins teams. With his improved results this year and back on a contending team, he’s in a much better environment for success too.
The biggest reason the Oilers moved Skinner may have been his pending contract status. As a 27 year old goaltender with 197 career games and heavy playoff experience, analysts project him to command up to $6M in annual salary next year.
The Oilers simply wouldn’t be comfortable paying Skinner at that price tag given his inconsistent playoff results. They had to move him this year, or let him walk for nothing. Getting some value back is a positive.
The Oilers did pay a hefty price for Jarry, a goalie that was on waivers last year and considered a buyout candidate. To give up Brett Kulak and a 2nd round draft pick and not get any salary retention is a tough break for Edmonton, but they were simply backed into a corner in the goalie market.
Making a trade for a goalie with strengths that for the Oilers system at a cost-controlled number was an absolute necessity for the team this season.
They paid a lot to do so, and Jarry himself carries some risk – but there is clearly a path for the Oilers to win this trade if he can be the reliable starter Edmonton needs.