Oilers Management Shredded for Offseason Moves and Tristan Jarry Trade

The Edmonton Oilers need to figure things out—and fast. A three-week Olympic break was supposed to reset the group, giving them a chance to hunker down and get hot down the stretch in hopes of another deep playoff run—this time ending with a Stanley Cup. Instead, their first game back couldn’t have gone much worse.

Multiple blown leads against the division-rival Anaheim Ducks ended in a 6–5 regulation loss thanks to a Cutter Gauthier goal with just 1:14 to go in the third period. As a result, the Oilers were passed by the Ducks in the standings and now sit fourth in the Pacific in points percentage, with the Sharks and Kings right behind them. It’s not pretty, and one reporter believes a lot of it has to do with mismanagement by GM Stan Bowman and the front office.

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Mark Spector criticized Bowman’s recent work, pointing to the offseason signings of Trent Frederic and Andrew Mangiapane, along with the trade for Tristan Jarry, all having blown up in his face so far.

Spector said:

“The trade, I mean July 1 was a disaster. That trade could cost you the playoffs right now. The way Jarry’s playing and the way he’s played here. I mean, you gave him a bunch of stuff for Skinner—this guy’s 40% worse than Skinner at this point, he’s not even close to Skinner’s game. At this point the team can’t overcome its management. That’s what I’m telling you. They wasted $7.5 million on July 1, absolutely wasted it. Frederic’s got three points, Mangiapane doesn’t help. And then you tried to get out of it with the goalie trade, and that’s been one of the worst trades made in the NHL this season. Not even close one-for-one, and then you threw in Kulak and a second,”

Bowman, of course, signed Frederic to an eight-year, $30.8 million extension and Mangiapane to a two-year, $7.2 million contract to come to Edmonton this summer. So far, he’s gotten next to nothing from either player, who have produced three points (two goals, one assist) and 12 points (six goals, six assists) in 55 and 49 games played, respectively.

The Jarry situation, on the other hand, has turned into a disaster after a strong start with the Oilers. Out for almost a month with an injury, only to return and get lit up before the Olympic break, which included calling out his team’s defense. Then, as we saw on Wednesday in the first game back, he allowed five goals on 25 shots and got pulled in the middle of a critical game tied in the third period. Talk about a lack of trust — an absolute mess.

Not to mention, Penguins GM Kyle Dubas continues to make out like gangbusters. Stuart Skinner and Brett Kulak have been great in Pittsburgh, and Dubas was just able to flip Kulak for a younger defenseman in Samuel Girard and another second-round pick.

Barring Jarry rebounding in a massive way and finding his game, it’s hard to argue with Spector’s take — this is a trade that could derail the Oilers’ season. Tack on the poor summer of signings, and Bowman is under immense pressure ahead of the March 6 deadline to salvage a year with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl still in their primes.

Next: Matthew Tkachuk at It Again — Jabs at Connor McDavid and Team Canada