EDMONTON — Tristan Jarry will be between the pipes for the Edmonton Oilers tonight when they face the Chicago Blackhawks, giving the embattled netminder yet another opportunity to silence the critics — and perhaps salvage one of the most scrutinised trades in Oilers general manager Stan Bowman's tenure.
The team also confirmed that forward Trent Frederic returns to the lineup after missing time with a concussion, while Zach Hyman remains a game-time decision.
The expected forward lines for Thursday's contest are as follows:
Podkolzin – McDavid – Savoie
Hyman – Nugent-Hopkins – Roslovic
Frederic – Dickinson – Kapanen
Jones – Henrique – Samanski
On defence, Bowman will roll with the pairings of Ekholm–Bouchard, Nurse–Murphy, and Walman–Emberson.
The Trade That Won't Go Away
When Oilers fans and analysts look to hold Bowman accountable, a handful of moves consistently come up — the Andrew Mangiapane signing, the Frederic contract, and perhaps most prominently, the trade that sent fan favourite Stuart Skinner, defenceman Brett Kulak, and a second-round pick to Pittsburgh in exchange for Jarry.
The deal has aged poorly. Jarry has struggled to perform at even an NHL-average level since arriving in Edmonton, and with two years remaining on a contract worth $5.375 million annually, the pressure on both player and GM is mounting fast.
Should Jarry continue to underwhelm, the financial and roster consequences could be severe — and Bowman's job security may well hinge on it. It is, by any measure, a high-stakes miscalculation that will be difficult to escape.
A Path Forward?
Not all hope is lost for the Oilers' front office. If backup option Connor Ingram can step up and provide reliable goaltending, the fallout from the Jarry experiment may be somewhat contained. Bowman has made a number of shrewd moves during his time running the Oilers, and a strong supporting performance from Ingram could help shift the narrative — at least partially.
But for now, all eyes are on Jarry. Tonight against Chicago, he gets one more chance to prove the trade was not the blunder many believe it to be.
Source: Edmonton Journal. Original reporting by David Staples. Additional context and rewrite by WestNet News staff.