Oilers Ultimately Passed on Big Goalie Trade at the Deadline

As per Elliotte Friedman, h/t to The Mug NHL for the quote, the NHL insider says the Edmonton Oilers at least looked at the idea of trading for a goalie, and that this season’s trade deadline is coming up. With questions about the quality of the two netminders they had, there were doubts about how confident the organization should feel about making a playoff run with an inconsistent Tristan Jarry and a bounce-back quest for Connor Ingram.

However, Friedman noted that to make the deal, the Oilers would have to trade Tristan Jarry. They didn’t believe that was possible, and ultimately they passed.

It’s unclear who the Oilers were targeting. The biggest names on the market were Sergei Bobrovsky, Jesper Wallstedt, and Jordan Binnington. The St. Louis Blues were clearly sellers, moving on from Brayden Schenn and asking Colton Parayko to waive his no-trade clause. It’s logical to assume that Binnington would have been moved in the right trade scenario.

There was also chatter that Bobrovsky could go, but the Florida Panthers ultimately pulled him off the market, now ready to talk contract extension. David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports that contract talks with Bobrovsky are ongoing, but he’s seeking a longer-term extension than the two- or three-year deal the Panthers want to offer.

The Wallstedt trade was likely more of a speculative move than anything else.

Should the Oilers Have Tried Harder to Trade Jarry?

Perhaps the Oilers will find it was a mistake not to work harder to get a trade done.

Several reports have since emerged, and one insider who initially hinted at possible tension has slightly softened his stance. “There’s a lot of talk out there about Jarry got into it in practice with some of his teammates out there,” said Friedman on the 32 Thoughts podcast. “It’s been a hard year for the Oilers.”

Bob Stauffer recently discussed the situation with Frank Seravalli, clarifying that he never directly heard about Tristan Jarry fighting with a teammate. Instead, Stauffer suggested that what he observed at practice may have pointed to some frustration. Seravalli, however, dismissed the situation, calling the entire story “overblown.”

Next: Should Players Like Schenn and Mangiapane Be Paid to Waive No-Trade Clauses?