The trade market is nearly complete, but for the Edmonton Oilers, their woes regarding a backup goaltender for Stuart Skinner remain unresolved. The Oilers have been on a quest to find someone who can replace their primary goalie since the Stanley Cup.
But with half of July already gone by, Stan Bowman still finds himself without any lead or any options for the upcoming season. The Oilers have already missed out on two of their main targets in free agency.
Meanwhile, the 2025 Draft also didn’t bring them any decent options either. According to one insider, they have only one way remaining to secure their last option.
Insider Hints at the Last Option for the Oilers To Secure Goaltending Target
Back in June, it was readily apparent just how significant the gap was between the Florida Panthers and the Oilers. But while the Panthers outmatched Edmonton in all facets, the clear difference was the goaltending. Sergei Bobrovsky was better than Skinner.
They had already lost the chance to sign John Gibson, who was ultimately traded to the Detroit Red Wings by the Anaheim Ducks. Meanwhile, Jake Allen ended up being retained by the New Jersey Devils. With this, the Oilers’ goalie market has dried up.
But according to insider Jeff Marek, there is still a way. He tweeted, “I think if the Penguins retain half, I think that there’s a shot; can Dubas move Jarry without retention? Probably not, but which team is going to ask him to retain the least and maximize the return?”
Jeff Marek: Re Tristan Jarry Edmonton rumours: I think if the Penguins retain half, I think that there’s a shot; can Dubas move Jarry without retention? Probably not, but which team is gonna ask him to retain the least and maximize the return? – The Sheet
— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) July 15, 2025
The Oilers already have just $225K in cap space. This makes it impossible for them to trade Tristan Jarry. That is, unless Penguins GM Kyle Dubas is willing to retain part of the salary. But even for that, the Oilers would need to give a good enough offer.
But it might be worthwhile for Jarry, who has been the choice goalie for the Pittsburgh Penguins for the last few seasons and has shown hints of brilliance. But his current contract might make it tough for either Edmonton or Pittsburgh to set him up for a trade.
Jarry is still in the third year of his $26.88 million contract, with three years remaining and a cap hit of $5.38 million. His no-move clause allows him to give a list of 12 teams to which he can’t be traded.
Unless he waives this, there doesn’t seem to be much opening for a bid. But the recent acquisition of goalie Arturs Silovs from the Vancouver Canucks might change things a little for the Penguins. Jarry’s inconsistencies have already led him to miss several games.
So there is certainly an interest from GM Dubas. Now it simply depends on which team is willing to give him maximum profits.
