It'd be insensitive to Tristan Jarry to say that the Edmonton Oilers need to add another goaltender after acquiring him from the Pittsburgh Penguins. However, sometimes the truth hurts, and the Oilers could be stuck with the same problem they've had for the past few years if they aren't careful.
There is the question of whether Jarry's start to the season is real or if he will regress to how he looked last season. There is also the question of whether Jarry will hold up under the postseason pressure, as he was abysmal in the playoffs with Pittsburgh. The concerns are plentiful for a goaltender that the Oilers just traded three assets for.
One thing that separates Jarry and Stuart Skinner is that Skinner was at least reliable from a health perspective. He may not have been great every night, but if the Oilers needed him, he was there. It's not set in stone that Edmonton will have the same luxury with Jarry. If he does end up having some of those injury concerns pop up, the current insurance policy for Edmonton doesn't look like Stanley Cup Final material.
Jarry's backup will be Calvin Pickard, who owns a 4.04 goals-against average and a .851 save percentage this season. If Jarry fails to stay healthy or does get into the playoffs and falters, those statistics from Pickard aren't going to do too much for Oilers fans.
Is Connor Ingram the answer for the Oilers?
The Oilers already have a proven goaltender in their minor-league system. Connor Ingram is currently the second-best goaltender on their AHL roster, according to the statistics. Still, he is making his way back after missing most of last season after entering the NHLPA's Player Assistance Program. If the Oilers think he is ready at any point in the next month or two, Ingram could be the new backup in Edmonton.
If Ingram can regain the form he showed in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons with the Arizona Coyotes, he and Jarry could be a formidable duo. However, it's another hypothetical that brings in plenty of what-ifs for the Oilers.
Matt Tomkins is another option in the Oilers' farm system. He played the last two seasons in Tampa Bay's system and posted solid numbers with the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL. Tomkins hasn't been able to carry it over to the NHL, but he has some big-game experience after playing for Team Canada at the 2022 Winter Olympics.
It'd be extremely unlikely to see the Oilers acquire another goalie through trade after the haul they gave up for Jarry. There is precedent for completely overhauling your goaltending tandem for success: the Colorado Avalanche are just fine this season with Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood.
Neither goaltender was on their roster to begin last season, and now they are one of the top tandems in the league on the league's best team. However, the Oilers don't have the benefit of goalies to target or assets to trade for one.
The Oilers might say they reached two consecutive Stanley Cups with Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard, and they can get there again with Tristan Jarry and Pickard. If that's a risk Stan Bowman is willing to take, so be it, but he better be ready to face the music if it doesn't work out.
