Breaking Down the Big Trade with Edmonton

The Penguins made a significant trade with Edmonton on Friday, Dec. 12.

Pittsburgh acquired goaltender Stuart Skinner, defenseman Brett Kulak and the Oilers’ 2029 second-round draft pick in exchange for goaltender Tristan Jarry and forward Sam Poulin (full details here).

“I just think with where we're at, this and the opportunity to bring in a goalie that has deep experience in Stu, plus the draft pick, it just made sense for us to do it at this time,” President of Hockey Operations and GM Kyle Dubas said.

"So, we're just continuing to try to chip away at all the things we've done, and this one here was a little bit more unique in that we felt that it was a chance to make some improvements to the team on defense, add a draft pick and add a (goalie) that's played a ton of hockey, and very good hockey."

When it comes to where the Penguins are at, Dubas said this:

“I think we’re capable of more than we’ve shown. Everyone in the room here has seen it when we’re at our best, that we can not only play but carry play against the very best teams in the league. We’ve left points on the table that I think everyone in the room regrets and laments.

But the thing I like about the group most is when we have those moments – last night would be the first night where I didn’t feel, coming out, we didn’t push back right away – every other time we’ve had a tough night or a tough finish, the next game, we’ve been back in the saddle and rolling.

So, I think we’re capable of continuing to get better throughout the year, especially with the young players. The expectation is they’re going to continue to get better and add more during the year. You’re always watching for them when they haven’t done it for a full season. Do they fatigue or not? Do we have the depth to be ready if they do? I think we have that in between (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton) and with players that have been injured and coming back now.

My expectation is we continue to get better and push. The races are wide open, both divisionally and within the conference.”

Here's a look at what went down.

JARRY HEADS HOME

The Penguins traded up to draft Jarry in the second round of the 2013 NHL Draft, and he went on to play over 300 games for the black and gold.

His tenure featured some memorable highs, like being a two-time NHL All-Star and scoring a goalie goal. There were some difficult lows more recently, like having two stints in the American Hockey League last season. But his teammates, coaches, management and staff can’t say enough about the way Jarry responded this year, putting together a 9-3-1 record.

“It's a very tough profession, and I don't think we've, at times, made it the easiest position to play with our play in front of him over the years,” Dubas said. “And I think, in his case, I would say that this year, he probably had been working out as intended. I mean, he'd steadied himself, as we talked about at the end of last season, come back from being sent to the minors, played very well.”

Through it all, the now 30-year-old netminder was a terrific teammate, well-liked in the dressing room. Behind the scenes, Jarry is one of the funniest people you’ll ever meet, always ready with a one-liner (or 10) that had everyone in stitches.

“It’s tough to see a friend and teammate go,” Rickard Rakell said. "As long as I've been here, he's always been our No. 1 goalie. He’s been the backbone of winning us hockey games. He’s been really important for our organization, for our team for a long time, and it's going to be different not having him around."

Jarry is a wonderful person, as is wife Hannah, who’s such a joy to be around. This will be a good situation for their young family, as they have connections to Alberta. While Jarry is born and raised in British Columbia, he played his junior hockey for the Western Hockey League’s Edmonton Oil Kings. So, they bought property in Alberta, and it’s where they reside in the offseason.

“It'll be a great opportunity for him in Edmonton, where he's had success in junior with the Oil Kings and they made their homes there. So, I'm happy for him,” Dubas said.

SKINNER LEAVES HOME

Skinner was born and raised in Edmonton, and taken by his hometown team in the third round of the 2017 NHL Draft.

Skinner had a breakout year in 2022-23, signing a three-year contract and being named an NHL All-Star. The 26-year-old has accumulated 50 games of Stanley Cup Playoff experience, recently helping the Oilers reach back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals. Only eight active goaltenders have more postseason wins than his 26.

“It's a hometown guy playing for a hometown team and trying to win the Stanley Cup every year. I don't know that there's been many goalies in the league that have endured that pressure, and all accounts, he's endured it very well and been able to be there at the end in June the last two seasons,” Dubas said.

This year didn’t start off the way Skinner or the team would have liked. But the 27-year-old netminder has gotten his game back up to the expected level as of late.

“It’ll be up to Stu and (goalie coach) Andy Chiodo and our performance staff and coaching staff and our whole group to support him, have him come in and play well,” Dubas said. “Obviously, I think if you're in his shoes, it's a lot to prove. I mean, they’ve made the move to go away from him, and we'll give him the best opportunity we can to be at his best. And it’s an important year for him as well.”

Dubas said the message to the group is that overall, Skinner has had a very good run in Edmonton, and adding him to a group that includes Arturs Silovs, Sergei Murashov and Joel Blomqvist helps mitigate the loss of Jarry, who had that strong start.

“We do have two very talented young goaltenders coming. We have a talented young goalie here in Arty, who the team has seen when he's at his best, what he's capable of. And we're improving our team and adding assets that we could use now or in the future,” Dubas said.

THE OVERALL GOALIE PLAN

Dubas said the plan is to have Skinner and Silovs competing here in Pittsburgh for the foreseeable future, with Murashov and Blomqvist competing down in Wilkes-Barre.

“Obviously, it's a little easier when you have the two guys down there that are putting up those sorts of performances night in and night out. And our hope is that, you know, they continue to push above,” Dubas said.

Jarry is in the third season of his five-year contract that has an average annual value of $5.375 million, while Skinner is in the final season of his three-year contract that has an average annual value of $2.6 million. Silovs and Blomqvist are set to be restricted free agents this summer, while Murashov is in the second season of his three-year, entry-level deal.

“Beyond this year, there's no real commitment," Dubas said. "So I think going forward, it opens the door wide open for competition between these goaltenders to earn NHL spots. That would include the four guys we've talked about here. So, there's a lot of incentive there in a number of regards. So, we'll see who can climb to the top and take it and run with it.”

BOLSTERING THE BLUE LINE

Like Skinner, Brett Kulak was part of Edmonton’s back-to-back Stanley Cup Final runs. He has 98 games of playoff experience on his resume. His steadiness, particularly in the hardest environments, has impressed Dubas the most.

Additionally, “He's able to play both left and right. He's played with all types of different partners there. He can kill penalties. He had a good year last year offensively, all at even strength. And I know those things can be fleeting for defensemen, especially when they're not on the power play.

“But we just expect him to be steady, use his experience, come back, move the puck, be a compliment to any of the guys on the right side that he's playing with. And then he can also move to the left side if needed as well. So, the versatility, steady, defending, penalty killing – those are the assets that we like in Brett.”

Kulak is in the final season of a four-year contract. Dubas said that all of the contracts ended up balancing out exactly.

AVAILABILITY FOR THE WEEKEND

The Penguins have back-to-back afternoon games on Saturday versus San Jose and Sunday versus Utah, both 3 PM puck drops. Dubas said Skinner and Kulak's availability is immigration-dependent.

"Kulak has never played (for a team) in the United States. And he’s Canadian, so he’s never had any immigration work," Dubas said. "I’ve lived it. You don’t know how long it can take. We’re working it out to try to get both players in here today, but we’ll see how it goes.”