The Edmonton Oilers are still trying to find their footing this season. They sit third from the bottom in the Pacific Division with an 11-10-5 record and have dropped four of their last six games. Their latest outing, however, brought a bit of relief, as they secured a 4-0 shutout win over the Kraken on Saturday.
One storyline that hasn’t gone away is Edmonton’s struggles with goaltending. Poor performances in net have fueled constant trade speculation, with Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry becoming the most talked-about target.
Insider Reveals Why a Tristan Jarry Trade to the Oilers May Fall Apart
The Oilers have simply not achieved the consistency they need in goal. Stuart Skinner sits at a 3.00 GAA and an .885 save percentage, while Calvin Pickard’s 4.04 GAA and .847 save percentage have raised even more concerns.
Skinner’s shutout on Saturday was one of the few bright spots recently. Earlier in the week, he allowed four goals to Dallas before being pulled, and Pickard came in only to give up four more. Naturally, this sparked even more chatter about the team seeking outside help.
During an appearance on “The Sheet with Jeff Marek”, NHL insider David Pagnotta discussed the Oilers’ interest in Tristan Jarry and why the deal may not work for Pittsburgh.
Pagnotta questioned what Edmonton could realistically offer that would convince Penguins GM Kyle Dubas to make the move. He pointed out that Pittsburgh already has a strong pipeline of young goaltenders, Arturs Silovs, Joel Blomqvist, and Sergei Murashov, so the motivation to part with Jarry isn’t as strong as some assume.
“You have to analyze this from that like we’re in a playoff spot,” Pagnotta said. “We’re exceeding expectations, but we feel we can keep this ride going. Do you want to potentially hinder that to a certain extent? Like that’s the debate from Pittsburgh side of things, I would imagine.”
He suggested that if the Penguins remain in a playoff spot, trading Jarry and a low-cost defenseman who’s been contributing well could leave Pittsburgh with roster holes they may not want to deal with.
Pagnotta added that while clearing Jarry’s $5.4 million cap hit might be appealing, the Penguins still need something meaningful in return, and any “combo deal” would likely complicate the cap picture for both sides.
ALSO READ: NHL Insider Sheds Light on Oilers’ Current Approach to Goaltending Options
Whether the Oilers and Penguins can find common ground remains to be seen, but for now, a Jarry trade seems far from guaranteed.
