There are multiple reasons why the Florida Panthers bested the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final in each of the last two years, but the disparity in goaltender play has been the one that fans tend to focus on most. With desperation setting in, the organization has gone to considerable lengths to find a possible solution. General manager Stan Bowman completed multiple trades on Friday, including one that netted the team veteran goalie Tristan Jarry.
The Oilers sent G Stuart Skinner, defenseman Brett Kulak, and a 2029 second-round draft pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for the 30-year-old and 2019 first-rounder Sam Poulin. Thursday's rough outing versus the Montreal Canadiens notwithstanding, Jarry has enjoyed a solid 2025-26 campaign. He boasts a .909 save percentage and 2.66 goals against average in 14 games, a welcome sight after his struggles last season (3.12 GAA). Nevertheless, there is some concern that Edmonton paid too steep a price for his services.
Bowman is confident in the value this newcomer can provide moving forward.
“We’ve done a lot of work on this position; obviously, it gets a lot of attention,” the GM said, per DailyHive.com's Colton Pankiw. “Tristan’s had a really consistent performance as a pro, really up until last season. That was something we looked into, and wanted to see how he started this year.
“We’ve watched him very closely, and we’ve been impressed with his performance over the course of his career. I think he’s shown to be a very solid goaltender. A lot of the metrics that we track, he’s been very good on those for many years, and a large sample size.”
Is Tristan Jarry the Oilers' missing link?
Stuart Skinner contributed to the Oilers' last two deep postseason runs and flashed promise in the first six years of his NHL career, but he was erratic in the playoffs. The Edmonton native is posting a 2.83 GAA and .891 save percentage this season. Stan Bowman is banking on the revitalized Tristan Jarry to maintain a more consistent form.
The trade acquisition is under contract at an average annual value of $5.375 million through the 2027-28 season. There is now enormous pressure on him to lift the franchise over the top. Though before the Oilers can avenge their unsuccessful championship pursuits, they must secure a playoff berth. Edmonton (14-11-6) squares off with the Toronto Maple Leafs (14-11-5) inside the Scotiabank Arena on Saturday.
