Oilers GM Admits Time for Change at Goalie

The Edmonton Oilers pulled the trigger on a significant trade, acquiring goaltender Tristan Jarry from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Stuart Skinner and defenseman Brett Kulak.

It's a bold move for a team that rode Skinner to the Stanley Cup Final last season, and general manager Stan Bowman addressed the decision head-on during a press conference.

Bowman made it clear this wasn't necessarily an indictment of Skinner's ability, but rather a recognition that the team needed a different direction in net.

Time for Something Different

When asked about the thought process behind the trade, Bowman framed it as a need for change rather than a failure on Skinner's part. "I just felt it was time for something different. It's not so much a comment on Stuart Skinner. It's just really, maybe time for something different here," Bowman said.

That's a diplomatic way of saying the Oilers weren't getting what they needed from their goaltending situation, even if Skinner wasn't the only problem. Bowman emphasized that the decision was based on an extensive evaluation of Jarry's career rather than a knee-jerk reaction.

Tristan Jarry's Track Record

Bowman pointed to Jarry's consistent performance throughout his professional career as a major factor in the decision. The Pittsburgh netminder struggled last season, but Bowman wanted to see how he bounced back this year before making a move.

"We've watched him very closely and we've been impressed with his performance over the course of his career. I think he's shown to be a very solid goaltender. A lot of metrics that we track, he's been very good on those for many years in a large sample size."

"We've watched him very closely & we've been impressed with his performance over the course of his career."#Oilers GM Stan Bowman discusses today's trades with Pittsburgh & Nashville, highlighted by the acquisition of goaltender Tristan Jarry.@Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/xCegBoUJY9
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) December 12, 2025

The sample size argument was something Bowman returned to multiple times during the press conference. He believes evaluating a goalie over hundreds or thousands of shots gives you a much better picture than focusing on short stretches of poor play.

Bowman continued, "When you look at a goalie and how he's performed over a few hundred or a thousand shots, that's different than a couple thousand shots. Those tend to show you what that goalie can be."

Contract Security

Beyond the on-ice performance, Bowman highlighted the contract situation as a critical factor. Jarry has two more years remaining on his deal at a manageable cap hit, giving the Oilers stability in net through three playoff runs.

"The fact that he's got two more years on his contract, we have our goalie for the next three playoff runs, which I think is important. And it's a number that we're going to be able to manage well in our salary cap over the coming couple seasons."

Losing Kulak

The trade also cost the Oilers Brett Kulak, a defenseman who was excellent in last year's playoff run. Bowman acknowledged losing Kulak hurts but defended the return of Spencer Stastney as a younger player with similar qualities.

"Brett Kulak was a great Oiler, and he was excellent in the playoffs last year," Bowman said. "There's no doubt about that. We certainly weren't trying to trade Brett Kulak, but to make the transaction work and the money go back and forth, that had to be part of it."

The Oilers are betting that Jarry's track record and contract stability outweigh the uncertainty of moving on from Skinner. Time will tell if Bowman made the right call.