Are the Edmonton Oilers interested in Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry? According to hockey insider Kevin Weekes, they are. Weeks recently indicated a link between the Oilers and Penguins. On the surface, the deal sort of makes sense. Jarry is from British Columbia, and he played his junior hockey for the Edmonton Oil Kings in the WHL. However, adding Jarry would require some serious salary cap management.
Overall, the logic behind such a rumor makes sense. The Oilers are getting inconsistent goaltending this season from Stuart Skinner and company, and the Penguins currently have four goaltenders. Pittsburgh would be operating from a position of strength in the crease. The Oilers’ Cup-contending aspirations are surrounded by question marks in their net. However, it’s hard to see them making such a move when they are already up against the cap. Bringing in Jarry, along with his $5.375 million AAV contract through the 2027-28 season, won’t be easy.
Oilers Should Tread Carefully with Jarry
I think that if the Oilers make a go at this, it’s an incredibly high-risk move for them. While Jarry’s cap hit is a bit easier to manage than some other options, the term remaining on his deal is not ideal for a player as fragile as he is. His injury history can not be ignored when you’re adding him for three seasons.
Jarry has shown glimpses of being an All-Star caliber goaltender, but his play is inconsistent. So why would the inconsistent Oilers add an inconsistent Jarry to their roster? Fans need to remember that this is a goaltender who spent weeks playing in the AHL last season. Although he looked sharp earlier this season before his injury, betting on him could come back to haunt Edmonton.
Another thing to remember is that Jarry has a 12-team no-trade list. If Edmonton is on that list, then the price to convince him to waive it goes up. Combine that with the assets needed to satisfy the Penguins, and the deal might lead to an overpay that I don’t think the Oilers can afford to make. Even if Jarry looked good against the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday night.
