A new trade pitch aimed at the Edmonton Oilers would allow them to finally solve their goaltending troubles for good. This pitch sees them acquire Connor Hellebuyck from the Winnipeg Jets two weeks after being suspended for not reporting to training camp. Hellebuyck and Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings are two star players with public trade requests.
The pitch also includes Tristan Jarry going the other way to work alongside ex-Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner.
This proposal was created by Sportsnet’s Frank Seravalli. It features Hellebuyck’s $8.5 million salary coming to Edmonton in exchange for Jarry’s $5.375 million deal that expires at the end of the 2027-28 season.
Edmonton Oilers Need More Than Tristan Jarry To Acquire Connor Hellebuyck
To acquire Hellebuyck, the Oilers would need to trade more than just Jarry. The main reason is that the Oilers have less than $1 million in cap space, and Hellebuyck makes more than $3 million more than Jarry.
So what could the Oilers add to a package in order to acquire Hellebuyck?
Trent Frederic, Vasily Podkolzin, Connor Murphy, Mattias Ekholm, and Ryan Shea all make around three million. Of those players, Ekholm and Frederic are the most likely ones to get dealt.
Ekholm is a fabulous defender who is unfortunately closer to 40 than 30. While it would be unfortunate to trade Ekholm, he isn’t “Stan Bowman’s guy” as he was acquired by previous management.
Bowman acquired or signed the other four, making them less likely to be dealt.
Of course, there is the option of adding a few pieces to make up the difference. A package featuring Isaac Howard and Mattias Janmark could move things in the right direction, but the Oilers would need to add other capital, such as draft picks or top prospects, to seal the deal.
One Major Hurdle In A Connor Hellebuyck Trade
Seravalli touches on one major hurdle in any Hellebuyck trade.
“No party is willing to comment publicly and sprinkle gasoline on a smoldering fire, but Connor Hellebuyck’s clear preference is to continue his career south of the 49th parallel,” Seravalli wrote. “Is Hellebuyck’s decision about Canada an absolute or merely a preference?”
Shortly after the trade request came out, NHL insider Darren Dreger shot down the idea of Hellebuyck being traded to the Oilers or Montreal Canadiens due to “not wanting to stay in Canada.”
The Burden of Tristan Jarry
To sum up the burden that Jarry places on the Oilers, we turn to one of The Athletic’s journalists who has covered the Pittsburgh Penguins for years, where Jarry played prior to being traded to Edmonton.
“Jarry has started in 18 games as a member of the Oilers. He’s allowed 4 or more goals in 10 of his last 12 starts. Goals allowed per start: 3, 4, 1, 4, 0, 2, 6, 4, 5, 4, 5, 5, 7, 2, 1, 6, 4, 6. That Dubas was able to trade him for heavy return remains astonishing,” Josh Yohe wrote on social media recently.
3, 4, 1, 4, 0, 2, 6, 4, 5, 4, 5, 5, 7, 2, 1, 6, 4, 6.
That Dubas was able to trade him for heavy return remains astonishing.
One way or another, the Oilers need to resolve their goaltending issues — a problem that has been a staple of the team for at least the past decade.
Oilers Trade Pitch Adds Connor Hellebuyck, Dumping $26 Million Burden