When a team makes a bold move to shore up its biggest weakness, there’s an expectation - maybe even a quiet confidence - that the problem has been solved. For the Edmonton Oilers, that move was bringing in Tristan Jarry to finally stabilize a goaltending situation that had haunted them in back-to-back playoff exits. But after Saturday night’s rough outing against the Minnesota Wild, that confidence is starting to waver.
Jarry, who was supposed to be the answer between the pipes, got the hook after allowing five goals on 20 shots - and three of them were the kind you just can’t give up at this level. It wasn’t just a bad night; it was the kind of performance that forces a team to take a hard look at the one position they thought they had figured out.
The Oilers dominated the shot clock, outshooting Minnesota 42-29, but still walked away on the wrong side of a 7-3 loss. That’s not just a loss - that’s a gut punch.
When you control the pace, generate chances, and still get blown out, the culprit becomes clear. You don’t need a deep analytics dive to see what went wrong.
This was supposed to be a statement game for Edmonton - a chance to show they’re not just hanging around the playoff picture, but ready to make a serious push. And to be fair, they’ve been trending in the right direction. With a 15-8-2 record over their last 25 games, they’ve been gaining ground on the Central Division’s top-tier teams.
But Saturday night was a reminder that they’re not quite there yet. Not if the goaltending can unravel that quickly. Not if a team like Minnesota - which has talent, sure, but isn’t exactly steamrolling the league - can string together five unanswered goals in your building.
For a team with Stanley Cup aspirations, this isn’t just a bump in the road. It’s a flashing warning light.
The Oilers have the scoring. They’ve got the firepower.
But if they can’t count on their goalie to hold the line when it matters, they’re going to find themselves in the same familiar spot come spring - wondering what could’ve been.
There’s still time to right the ship. One bad night doesn’t define a season, and Jarry has the track record to bounce back. But for a fanbase that’s seen this movie before, Saturday’s loss felt a little too familiar.