Tristan Jarry and Kris Knoblauch are back under the microscope after a former NHL goalie ripped the Oilers netminder's compete level.
That is the real story here, not just one rough goal or one bad bounce. Edmonton made a big bet on Jarry in December, and that bet keeps looking shakier.
The deal already carried heat the day it happened. Jarry arrived with waiver baggage from 2024-25, a brief AHL stint, and a contract running through 2027-28 at $5.375 million.
It got even harder to defend because Stuart Skinner went the other way, and Brett Kulak had to be included too. For Oilers fans, that was a steep price for a goalie who never looked like a clean upgrade.
Now the criticism is getting sharper. The file says there were already concerns in Pittsburgh about Jarry's work ethic and compete level when things started going sideways.
It also says Bob Stauffer hinted late in the regular season that some Oilers teammates looked unhappy with the effort level they were seeing from Jarry in practice.
That set the stage for Game 4, when Jarry finally got the call after sitting the first 3 games of the Anaheim series. He allowed 4 goals on 38 shots in a 4-3 overtime loss.
Making matters worse, it started to be said more and more that at times the Penguins had concerns with Jarry’s work ethic and compete level.
While not necessarily deemed as a lazy player, his competitive edge didn’t seem to be as high as what you’d expect from an NHLer. Once he started to struggle, his compete level became a source of frustration within the Penguins organization.
Any hopes that joining a team in more of a win-now mode would change that work ethic seemingly hasn’t been the case. Late in the regular season, Bob Stauffer alluded to the fact that some Oilers teammates appeared to be a bit discontent with the effort level they were seeing from Jarry in practice.
That effort level, or perhaps better phrased as a lack of intensity, has carried into games. - Rupert M.
Oilers dealt a concerning blow following a major game
This is where the story really turned. Former NHL goalie Stephen Valiquette did not talk about bad luck or team breakdowns first.
He said it “doesn't look like he's competing at a high level,” then broke down Jarry's footwork, angles, and timing in brutal detail.
Valiquette's point was that Jarry was late on sequences not only because the play was fast, but because the effort and setup were not sharp enough before the shot even came.
That is a damaging read on a 30-year-old goalie with 326 career games already behind him. The file's argument is blunt: this is not some young project still learning the position.
And that is what should bother Edmonton most. Mechanical issues are one thing. Questions about intensity are another.
If Jarry is back in an Oilers sweater next season, this story is not going away. It is only going to get louder every time the crease starts wobbling again.
Source : Former NHL Goalie Questions Compete Level of Oilers’ Tristan Jarry
Did the Oilers make a mistake betting on Tristan Jarry?
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