The Edmonton Oilers find themselves in a precarious position just hours before the NHL’s holiday roster freeze kicks into gear. With the newly acquired Tristan Jarry suffering a lower-body injury during Thursday night’s clash against the Boston Bruins, general manager Stan Bowman is racing against the clock.
According to a report from David Staples, the Oilers had serious interest in Buffalo Sabres netminder Alex Lyon prior to pulling the trigger on the Jarry trade last week. Now, with Jarry’s status up in the air and the roster freeze set to lock rosters at 11:59 PM tonight (Dec. 19), that interest could be reignited out of sheer necessity.
The timing couldn’t be worse. If Jarry’s injury is significant, Edmonton faces the prospect of navigating the holiday break—and potentially longer—with Calvin Pickard as the starter and an AHL call-up from Bakersfield as support. For a team with Stanley Cup aspirations that just dealt away Stuart Skinner to solve their crease issues, this is a nightmare scenario.
Expert Insight: Why Lyon Makes Sense (But Is Complicated)
From my perspective, circling back to Alex Lyon is the most logical “break glass in case of emergency” move for Edmonton, but the logistics are a headache.
Lyon has been stuck in a three-goalie rotation in Buffalo all season, sitting behind Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and youngster Colten Ellis. He’s a competitor who proved in Florida and Detroit that he can carry a team in spurts. His $1.5 million cap hit is reasonable for a 1B option, but the Oilers are pressed right against the salary cap ceiling.
As Staples noted, even if Buffalo retains 50% of Lyon’s salary (bringing it down to $750k), Edmonton would still need to move money out to make the math work. With the roster freeze looming tonight, executing a trade that involves clearing cap space and acquiring a player is a massive hurdle to clear in just a few hours.
The Sabres, however, should be motivated sellers. Carrying three goalies is unsustainable, and if Jarmo Kekäläinen can get an asset for Lyon now rather than losing him for nothing or letting him rot in the press box, he should listen.
The Verdict: If Jarry is out long-term, the Oilers cannot stand pat. Relying solely on Pickard is a gamble that could derail their season before the New Year. Watch for a flurry of activity—or a deafening silence that signals the Oilers are stuck until December 28.
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The post Oilers Goalie Crisis: Is Alex Lyon the Last-Minute Answer Before the Trade Freeze? appeared first on NHL Trade Rumors.
