It’s been no secret that the Edmonton Oilers have had question marks about goaltending when the playoffs roll around. And while both Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard have had their moments, it was clear something needed to change if the Oilers wanted to make it to a third straight Stanley Cup Final.
Something did change on Friday. The Oilers dealt for Pittsburgh Penguins vet Tristan Jarry, giving them a boost this year with Jarry winning nine of his 13 games this year and sporting a 2.66 GAA.
So who won or lost this trade? As usual, we’re handing out grades to tell you our thoughts. Here we go:
Penguins and Oilers trade details, per report
Oilers get: G Tristan Jarry and F Sam Poulin
Penguins get: G Stuart Skinner, D Brett Kulak and a second-round pick
Oilers trade grade
WOW. This is quite the move. Skinner has won at least 26 games in his past three seasons, but he’s not as consistent as you’d like with a contending team. Jarry, meanwhile, hasn’t been the netminder he was in 2021-22 when he won 34 games and had a 2.42 GAA. But he’s looked pretty good this season
Maybe this is the move that helps shore up the Oilers’ goaltending, or it’s just: “We needed a change, maybe Jarry catches fire with a change of scenery.” And it didn’t cost TOO much. But it’s not like they traded for a star.
GRADE: B
Penguins trade grades
Jarry has two more years after this one on his contract, so as the Pens slowly head toward a rebuild, this is the kind of move to make to grab a future pick. Skinner is somewhat young at 27, so the thought might be a change in zip code could help.
GRADE: B+
