Is Now the Time for the Oilers to Buy Low on $26M Goalie?

There isn’t much available in free agency or on the trade market if the Edmonton Oilers are determined to upgrade their goaltending this summer. If the plan is to do something before training camp, GM Stan Bowman is running out of time and options. That could be why one name keeps popping up in offseason articles. Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry is reportedly available, and the Oilers have been linked to him based on his past history with the organization, as well as the fact that many other options seem to be off the table.

What’s most intriguing about Jarry is that the Oilers might have an opportunity to buy low on a goalie who is locked into a contract through the 2027-28 season. His stock has plummeted after a difficult 2024-25 season, and the Penguins are in a position where they would like to move him with few takers.

Jarry Has Little Value Around the NHL These Days

Jarry, 30, is coming off a campaign that saw him clear waivers and briefly demoted to the AHL. He finished the year with a .893 save percentage and a goals-against average north of three—numbers that would make most general managers hesitant. But for the Oilers, who might be inclined to take a risk if the incentive is there to do so, Jarry could be had for far less than he might actually be worth.

This is not to say that Jarry is a $5.375 million per-season goalie. He’s proven himself to be anything but. That said, he could rebound and far exceed what could be a $2.7 million salary.

Jarry still boasts a .909 career save percentage and over 150 career wins. That suggests that last season may have been more of an anomaly than the norm. He also posted nine quality starts in his final 14 games and behind a better defensive team like Edmonton, which allowed significantly fewer high-danger chances than Pittsburgh last year, his numbers could climb.

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The Penguins, meanwhile, appear to be leaning into a rebuild and could be willing to retain salary in a deal. If Edmonton could acquire Jarry at a reduced cap hit—around the $2.7 – $3 million range—the risk becomes much more manageable.

Oilers Could Make the Money Work

Cap space remains a concern for the Oilers, but in a rising cap era, a tandem of Jarry and Skinner at under $6 million could be a shrewd move. Edmonton could potentially then trade Pickard for a draft pick, making the trade something like Mattias Janmark and Calvin Pickard for Tristan Jarry and a pick. Out would go $2.45 million and in would come $2.7 million. The Oilers would need to find a way to move around $ 350,000.

Edmonton might feel confident in its current tandem. If they don’t, with limited trade options available, this might be the right time for the Oilers to roll the dice on Jarry. Should the Penguins get their season started and Jarry bounce back with Pittsburgh, the price will rise.

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