12/12/25 01:55:00
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12/12 13:53 CST Penguins send two-time All-Star goalie Tristan Jarry to
Edmonton in goaltender swap
Penguins send two-time All-Star goalie Tristan Jarry to Edmonton in goaltender
swap
By WILL GRAVES
AP Sports Writer
PITTSBURGH (AP) --- Tristan Jarry is going "home" with the hope of helping the
Edmonton Oilers get over the top.
The two-time defending Western Conference champions acquired Jarry from the
Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday in hopes of shoring up a position that has cost
them during their deep playoff runs in recent years.
Jarry, a two-time All-Star with Pittsburgh in 2020 and 2022, starred for the
Edmonton Oil Kings as a junior. Now he heads back to Edmonton with a chance to
help the Oilers try to win their first Stanley Cup in more than 35 years.
Edmonton sent goaltender Stuart Skinner, defenseman Brett Kulak and a
second-round pick in the 2029 draft to Pittsburgh in exchange for Jarry and
forward Sam Poulin.
"I just felt it was time for something different," Oilers general manager Stan
Bowman said. "It's not so much a comment on Stuart Skinner. It's just maybe
time for something different here."
The move closes an eventful 10 years in Pittsburgh for Jarry, who was signed to
a five-year contract in 2023 but struggled so badly last season that the
Penguins took the unorthodox approach of demoting him to the minors multiple
times.
The 30-year-old Jarry has bounced back this season under first-year Penguins
coach Dan Muse. Jarry went 9-3-1 with a 2.66 goals against average and a .909
save percentage for surprising Pittsburgh.
Bowman said the team has been tracking Jarry for a while and that the metrics
surrounding his play have been good for an extended period. The fact that Jarry
is also signed through 2027-28 also gives the Oilers some stability. Skinner is
scheduled to become a free agent next summer.
"It's a (salary) number that we're going to be able to manage well in our
salary cap over the coming seasons, so I think those factors did play a role,"
Bowman said. "When you add it all up, it wasn't just about a couple of games
here or there. It was about a career sample size and the fact that he's going
to be with us for three playoff rounds."
Even if Jarry isn't exactly a proven commodity in the postseason. He holds a
career playoff record of just 2-6 with a 3.00 goals against and a .891 save
percentage. His shaky play in the opening round against the New York Islanders
in the 2021 playoffs played a major factor in the Penguins losing the series in
six games.
Pittsburgh general manager Kyle Dubas praised Jarry for the way he responded to
being sent to the minors, and allowed at times the team's play in front of him
didn't put Jarry in the best position for success.
"I think Tristan is extremely talented," Dubas said. "It'll be a great
opportunity for him in Edmonton."
The Oilers' problems in net in recent years have played an outsized role in
keeping Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and company from getting over the hump
and winning the Stanley Cup, especially in the final the past two years against
Florida.
Skinner allowed 19 goals on 137 shots, an .861 save percentage, in the 2025
final, and Calvin Pickard was not much better at .878. Skinner also allowed a
soft goal in Game 7 in 2024.
Edmonton this season had the fourth-worst team save percentage in the NHL. And
while Skinner ranks 38th in the league among goalies who have appeared in nine
or more games, Calvin Pickard --- who remains on the roster in tandem with
Jarry --- is last at .851.
Jarry is expected to join the Oilers in Toronto on Saturday. Edmonton's current
road swing includes a stop in Pittsburgh next Tuesday.
The Penguins were able to move on from Jarry thanks in part to a deep prospect
pool in net, led by 21-year-old Sergey Murashov, who played well during a brief
stint in Pittsburgh earlier this season. The Penguins also have 23-year-old
Joel Blomqvist at their American Hockey League affiliate in
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and 24-year-old Artur Silovs has been solid if not
spectacular this year while splitting time with Jarry in Pittsburgh.
Dubas said there is no firm plan to call up Murashov or Blomqvist in the short
term, but that both will have the opportunity to establish themselves as the
club's top goaltender at some point in the future, perhaps as early as next
season.
Skinner is 11-8-4 with a 2.83 goals against average, though his save percentage
is just .891.
The 31-year-old Kulak gives the Penguins an experienced and dependable
defenseman who posted career highs in goals (seven), assists (18) and points
(25) last season for Edmonton. Kulak has two assists this year for the Oilers.
Poulin was Pittsburgh's first-round pick in 2019 but has been unable to find
his footing at the NHL level. Poulin has only two points in 15 games for
Pittsburgh.
The move wasn't the only one made by the Oilers on Friday. Edmonton also sent a
third-round pick in the 2027 draft to Nashville for defenseman Spencer
Stastney. The 25-year-old Stastney has one goal and eight assists in nine games
for the Predators this season.
"He's a great skater, a lot of quickness, and he's been very effective in the
penalty kill," Bowman said of Stastney. "And he's got some offense to his game
as well. I think he hasn't really reached his true potential yet."
___
AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno contributed to this report.
___
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