On Dec. 12, the Edmonton Oilers traded Stuart Skinner, Brett Kulak, and a second-round pick for Tristan Jarry and Samuel Poulin. Edmonton required an upgrade between the pipes, so they pulled the trigger. The Oilers took on Jarry’s full cap hit, sending Kulak and Skinner the other way to make the money work.
However, Jarry was injured against the Boston Bruins on Dec. 18, after just his third game with his new team. He seemed to tweak something in his lower body after going post-to-post, and he was placed on injured reserve the next day.
Related: Oilers Got Fleeced in Tristan Jarry Trade
Now, the Oilers are in a worse position than they were before trading Skinner. The organization was desperate to make a move, and now they’re paying for it. Jarry was on waivers less than one year ago, and has a hefty $5.375 million cap hit for two more seasons after this one. Yet somehow, Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas was able to get out of that contract without any salary retention. If salary retention was involved, the Oilers could’ve kept Skinner while acquiring Jarry.
A Jarry and Skinner tandem would have been a good idea because it improves the entire goaltending situation, while providing a safety net in case of injury. However, that didn’t happen, and now the Oilers don’t have a starter. Therefore, the Oilers should have kept Skinner.
Skinner Is Durable
While he battles inconsistency issues, Skinner was durable. Availability is the best ability, and the former Oilers’ netminder always stayed healthy. He was a workhorse, starting over 50 games during his last two full seasons in Oil Country. He also started 48 games in 2022-23 and a career-high 57 starts in 2023-24.
Skinner was Edmonton’s security blanket, and now that’s gone. Durability is a valuable and underrated asset, and that trait doesn’t get enough recognition.
Oilers Need Organizational Depth
Skinner received heavy criticism from this fan base, but despite that, trading him was the wrong decision at this time. He’s a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA), so management could’ve let him walk in free agency. The Oilers are chasing a Stanley Cup, so having depth at every position is crucial, including goaltending. The organization put all their eggs in one basket, and it’s suffering for it.
While Jarry is an upgrade over Skinner, they needed an upgrade at the backup position. Therefore, having both netminders in the fold would push Skinner to the backup role, which would be the best scenario. Then, if one of them got injured, they have someone who can step in and take on a starter’s workload. You can’t have too much depth, especially for a playoff run. Unfortunately, the Oilers don’t have that luxury and are still trying to find a solution in net.
A Pickard & Ingram Tandem Is Concerning
With Jarry on the shelf, the Oilers must rely on Calvin Pickard and Connor Ingram, unless another trade is made once the NHL’s roster freeze concludes on Dec. 28. That is not an ideal situation, which may result in another panic trade.
Pickard has had a miserable season thus far, holding a 3.93 goals-against average (GAA) and an .861 save percentage (SV%) through 13 games. Meanwhile, Ingram was recalled from the Bakersfield Condors of the American Hockey League (AHL), and played his first NHL game since Feb. 22 on Sunday night (Dec. 21). He helped Edmonton defeat the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3, earning his first win as an Oiler, stopping 26 of 29 shots for an .897 SV%. Ingram was solid, but the team still needs more stability in net.
Ingram’s AHL numbers don’t provide much optimism. In 11 games with the Condors, he had an abysmal 4.04 GAA and an .856 SV%. Now he’s being forced to play on the big club, and he’s clearly not ready or up to speed. This is extremely concerning, and hopefully Jarry isn’t out long-term. If he is, this team is in massive trouble. It was imperative to keep Skinner in the mix because this current tandem doesn’t instill much confidence. Trading Skinner for Jarry was a risky move, and this is the reason.
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