The Edmonton Oilers' goaltending situation has been thrown into uncertainty following an injury to starter Tristan Jarry during Thursday night's game, complicating any potential trade plans before the league's roster freeze.
Injury Thwarts Trade Timeline
Tristan Jarry left the Oilers' 3-1 victory over the Boston Bruins with an undisclosed leg injury, forcing backup Calvin Pickard into action. Post-game, head coach Kris Knoblauch offered a vague prognosis, stating the team would "see" and was "not sure how serious it is." This development comes at an inopportune time, with the NHL's holiday roster freeze set to begin roughly 26.5 hours after the game concluded on December 18, 2025.
Transaction expert Ira Cooper, a contributor to the Cult of Hockey, immediately cast doubt on the Oilers' ability to execute a swift trade for a replacement. "Roster freeze is in like 26.5 hours – executing a Lyon trade seems unlikely," Cooper said. He emphasized the unknown factors, noting, "We don't know what Buffalo is demanding/requesting or their position at all."
Internal Options and External Rumors
With Jarry potentially missing weekend games against the Minnesota Wild and Vegas Golden Knights, the focus shifts to internal solutions. Edmonton Journal reporter Jim Matheson suggested the likely recall would be Matt Tomkins from Bakersfield, not Collin Ingram. Tomkins has posted a .893 save percentage and a 3.30 goals-against average in 15 AHL games this season, outperforming Ingram's .856 save percentage and 4.04 average in 11 games.
The injury reignites speculation about the Oilers' interest in Buffalo Sabres goaltender Alex Lyon. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported in his December 11, 2025, 32 Thoughts column that Edmonton had "poked around" Lyon, 33, though not as seriously as they had pursued Jarry prior to acquiring him. The rumor was further fueled earlier that week when former NHL goalie and Sabres broadcaster Martin Biron highlighted Lyon as a logical trade candidate, citing his strong early-season play despite Buffalo's logjam with three NHL netminders.
Analysis of the Goaltending Conundrum
The situation underscores a lingering concern about the Oilers' crease stability. On The Sheet podcast Thursday morning, former Oiler Devan Dubnyk expressed his hope for a Jarry-Stuart Skinner tandem, arguing it would create competition and a pressure release valve. He contrasted this with the current dynamic involving Pickard, whom he praised as a hard-working teammate but noted the team's apparent reluctance to play him multiple games consecutively.
"If Tristan Jarry struggles, they're now forced into a situation where they have to play Jarry because they have to, not because they want to," Dubnyk explained, warning the team could find itself in "the exact same snowball" of instability if things go poorly. Podcast host Jeff Marek concurred, suggesting general manager Stan Bowman may not be finished addressing the goaltending position.
For now, the Oilers are left to navigate the immediate aftermath of Jarry's injury with limited time to make an external move, potentially testing their organizational depth at the most critical position.
