The Edmonton Oilers pushed the goaltending panic button on Dec. 12, shipping the disappointing Stuart Skinner to Pittsburgh (along with defenceman Brett Kulak and a second-round pick) in exchange for Tristan Jarry.
The shakeup at the position was a gamble, but Skinner’s performance had been so underwhelming that it was cause for concern. Couple that with the fact that Edmonton’s Stanley Cup contention window is now, and the Oilers couldn’t afford to sit on their hands.
The challenge for general manager Stan Bowman and Edmonton’s front office: goaltenders are scarcely available to begin with, especially those who perform at the NHL level. Acquiring a goaltender mid-season usually means finding a potential reclamation…