Just when I was pretty much convinced a deal wouldn’t happen…
…Kyle Dubas finally pulled the trigger on a hotly rumored swap. Tristan Jarry and former first-round pick Sam Poulin are heading to the Oilers in exchange for goalie Stuart Skinner, defenseman Brett Kulak and a second-round pick in the 2029 Entry Draft.
My initial reaction? A win-win, all the way around.
Jarry’s done yeoman’s work to resurrect a career that for all intents and purposes appeared to be in the dumpster when he was waived last season. Last night’s so-so outing against the Canadiens aside, I thought he played exceptionally well this season, especially since coming off IR in late November.
However, last season aside, he has a well-documented history of fading in the second half.
As for Skinner, he’s been equally erratic over the course of his six-season NHL career. The rangy (6’4” 215) 27-year-old currently has an .891 save percentage and 2.83 goals against average, to go with a quality starts percentage of .435. By comparison, Jarry’s numbers are .909, 2.66 and .615, respectively.
Ironically, both have All-Star game appearances on their resumes.
The beauty for the Pens lies on the contract end. We shed the final two-plus seasons of Jarry’s $5.375 annual cap hit. Skinner, by comparison, is in the last season of a deal that pays him a manageable $2.6 million.
The deal also opens the door for netminding prospects Joel Blomqvist and Sergei Murashov, the latter widely regarded as a star in the making. When they’re ready to be promoted, there’ll be no one blocking their path.
As for the other players involved? Kulak is a serviceable, 31-year-old left-side defenseman. Stands 6’2” and tips the scales at 192 pounds. He’s not overtly physical, but he will involve himself around the net. Likewise, although not known for his offense, he tallied career highs of seven goals and 25 points last season. Decent enough output.
With a cap hit of $2.75 million, Kulak is also a pending UFA.
Of the four players exchanging uniforms, I might be the happiest for Poulin. His slower, heavier game never seemed to mesh with the Pens’ speed-oriented style, especially under Mike Sullivan. Here’s hoping Sam gets a real opportunity with the Oilers, instead of yo-yoing between the bigs and the AHL.
As for the second-round pick? Gravy on top of the turkey.
So what does this mean for the immediate future and our playoff aspirations? With his 9-3-1 record, Jarry was one of the rocks our strong start was built upon. A tandem of Skinner and Arturs Silovs, who’s regressed over the past month, doesn’t necessarily inspire a boatload of confidence.
Still, trading Jarry was the correct move. Kudos to Dubas for possessing the brass, not to mention the good sense, to deal while the iron was hot.
Dumba on Waivers
To make room for Kulak, the Pens placed veteran defenseman Matt Dumba on waivers.
True confession, I had vague hopes the hard-hitting 31-year-old veteran might rediscover the 10-goal, 40-point form of his early career. Especially following a strong training camp.
Unfortunately, he never seemed to mesh with any of his partners while racking up a minus-five in limited duty.