The Pittsburgh Penguins traded goaltender Tristan Jarry and minor-league forward Sam Poulin to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for goaltender Stuart Skinner, defenseman Brett Kulak, and a 2029 second-round draft pick.

SPECTOR’S NOTE: It figures that the biggest trade thus far of this regular season occurs when I’m out Christmas shopping.

The main components of this deal are the goaltenders. Jarry and Skinner frequently surfaced in trade rumors in the past, but it was only recently that speculation emerged suggesting they be swapped for each other.

Edmonton Oilers trade  Stuart Skinner to the Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL Images).

Skinner backstopped the Oilers to consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearances in 2024 and 2025. However, his inconsistent play became an issue too big to ignore, especially with the Oilers struggling to stay in the Western Conference playoff race. He is in the final season of a three-year contract with an average annual value of $2.6 million, and is eligible for unrestricted free-agent status next July.

Jarry had been the Penguins’ starter since 2021-21. Like Skinner, inconsistency plagued his performance, partly because of injuries. He was waived last January and briefly spent time with their AHL affiliate before returning with a solid effort down the stretch. He’s under contract through 2027-28 with an AAV of $5.375 million.

There was no salary retention by either side in this deal.

Oilers general manager Stan Bowman said he felt it was time for something different between the pipes. Time will tell if swapping one erratic starting netminder for another leads to significant improvement for his club.

The Oilers include Kulak in this deal to balance out the salary-cap dollars. He’s a good defensive blueliner, but was struggling a bit this season in Edmonton. He carries a $2.75 million cap hit. Like Skinner, he is UFA-eligible next July.

The Penguins could emerge as the winners in this deal. Moving out Jarry without having to retain any of his salary is a win in itself.

Skinner could fit in well alongside promising Arturs Silovs, allowing them to give Sergei Murashov more seasoning with their farm team. Moving away from the harsh spotlight in Edmonton could do him good.

If Skinner plays well, he could be an affordable re-signing for the Penguins. If he intends to test the market next summer, they could peddle him elsewhere at the March trade deadline for a decent return. The same goes for Kulak.