Oilers Can’t Use Obvious Fix For Their Tristan Jarry Problem

One social media account asked the question: “Do you send Jarry to Bako to get a bunch of starts and get some confidence? He’s unplayable.” On the surface, pushing Jarry to the AHL might make some sense, given how poor he’s played of late. Unfortunately, that’s not an option.

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In response to the question, popular salary cap account PuckPedia noted, “Can’t send him down after the deadline. Only players in the minors on deadline day can be sent down after the deadline.” They later added, “After the deadline the only players that can be sent down are those that were in the AHL on deadline day, or spent most of the season in the AHL but were on the NHL roster on IR at the deadline.”

In other words, the Oilers are stuck with Jarry. They can’t trade him, and they can’t demote him. The team has no choice but to sit him or play through these warts in his game, hoping he finds it.

The Oilers Only Made Their Goaltending Situation Worse

The Edmonton Oilers thought they had solved their goaltending problems when they acquired Jarry from the Pittsburgh Penguins in December. GM Stan Bowman was aware there were inconsistency issues, but he felt that Jarry, more than Stuart Skinner, was the better gamble for a long playoff run. Instead, the move has turned into one of the season’s biggest disappointments.

Jarry was brought, and the Oilers bailed on Skinner. They thought so little of him as a playoff-steady goaltender that the Oilers threw in defenseman Brett Kulak just to make the trade work financially. The feeling was that Jarry would provide steady, high-end goaltending for a team with Stanley Cup aspirations.

Interestingly, since making his Oilers debut on Dec. 13, Jarry’s record sits at 7-6-1. He’s got a winning record. However, the underlying numbers tell a more troubling story. He’s carrying a 4.17 goals-against average and an .855 save percentage—figures that rank near the bottom of NHL goaltenders over that stretch.

Those struggles have become even more noticeable in recent weeks. In a roughly 10-game span beginning in late January, Jarry has posted an .826 save percentage and a goals-against average above 5.00, allowing four or more goals in seven of those outings. Advanced metrics paint a similar picture, showing him well below league average in goals saved above expected.

The latest example came on Thursday night in a lopsided 7–2 loss to the Dallas Stars. Jarry allowed seven goals on 27 shots, finishing the night with a .741 save percentage. The Oilers were awful in front of him, but Jarry didn’t bail them out, letting in at least two or three that he’d like to have had back.

The optics of the trade look even worse when compared to how Skinner has performed in Pittsburgh.

Skinner Has Been Great in Pittsburgh

Since joining the Penguins, he has delivered a 2.70 goals-against average and an .891 save percentage while putting on the kind of performance that will get him looks this offseason as a pending UFA. The Penguins remain in the playoff mix, despite few analysts thinking they’d be close. The Oilers feel like a team only in the playoff conversation because the Pacific Division is so weak. They are still alive despite Jarry, while the Penguins are playing well, in part, because of Skinner.

Yes, the Oilers have allowed plenty of shots and high-danger chances this season. Skinner has some ugly numbers in Edmonton, as well. It doesn’t excuse that Jarry hasn’t done enough to compensate for those breakdowns. This is one of the reasons the Oilers spent significant assets and invested longer term in the trade — he was supposed to help in that regard.

As it stands, the path forward for the Oilers is far from secure.

Jarry, now 30 and under contract through the 2027–28 season, still has time to turn things around. But for now, a trade that was meant to solidify Edmonton’s crease has instead become a major question mark. Does going back to Calvin Pickard and maintaining three goalies on the main roster make the most sense?

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