The Edmonton Oilers’ netminding situation just got more complicated. To begin, Tristan Jarry’s return timeline has been pushed back further than initially anticipated.
When Jarry went down with a lower-body injury against Boston on December 18, the assumption around the organization was that he would miss a couple of weeks, maybe return in the first few days of January, or at worst, within that opening week.
But following Wednesday’s disappointing loss to the Boston Bruins, Kris Knoblauch delivered a reality check. The revised timeline? Mid-January at the earliest, meaning the Oilers are looking at a minimum of eight more games, possibly more before they can even consider inserting Jarry back into the lineup.
What Kris Knoblauch had to say about Tristan Jarry’s return timeline
Head Coach Kris Knoblauch addressed the timeline following Wednesday’s 6–2 defeat from Boston where Connor Ingram surrendered six goals on 29 shots in his worst performance since joining Edmonton.
“I just broadly say, you know, mid-January. I don’t think it’d be any sooner than that,” he said.
Wednesday’s performance from Connor Ingram looked alarming on paper, dropping his record to 2–2 and marking his first sub-.900 save percentage of the season.
Before the Boston debacle, Ingram had been genuinely impressive since his recall posting quality starts in his first three appearances and showing the kind of composure that suggested he could be a legitimate option.
Edmonton’s goaltending deployment uncertain until Jarry returns
The Oilers clearly saw enough in those initial performances to give Ingram another look and Knoblauch acknowledged the team wants to continue evaluating what they have in the 27-year-old.
“Almost game-by-game, or at least two games ahead,” he explained when asked about his goaltending deployment. “We definitely want to see how Ingram’s playing. But we feel that we got two good quality goalies that can be for us for a backup role, and I guess we want the one who plays the best.”
The Oilers are now essentially running an extended tryout between Calvin Pickard and Ingram neither of whom was expected to carry significant workload when the season began.
Meanwhile, Calvin Pickard has rebounded from earlyseason struggles with five consecutive solid outings including a 41-save gem in Winnipeg and a sterling relief performance against Boston on December 18, ironically, the game where Jarry suffered his injury.
Potential target date for Jarry’s return
Edmonton acquired Jarry from Pittsburgh to address their goaltending instability but he managed just two-and-a-half games before going down with a lower-body injury.
Now the Oilers face (at least) eight more games before their schedule softens with a homestand beginning January 18 which is a potential target date for Jarry’s return, though nothing is guaranteed.
The timing creates a strategic quandary. Do the Oilers ride the hot hand between Pickard and Ingram potentially building chemistry and confidence? Or do they carefully manage minutes to keep both sharp for when Jarry returns and decisions about the backup role become permanent?
At 20–15–6, the Oilers sit atop the Pacific Division by a single point after their best month of the season. But their goaltending remains their most glaring question mark heading into the new year.
The extended evaluation period might ultimately benefit Edmonton’s decision-making, but it also means continued uncertainty in the crease during a critical stretch. And when Jarry does return, there’s no guarantee he’ll be the answer as his brief Edmonton sample size revealed little and his struggles in Pittsburgh were well-documented.
Knoblauch’s “game-by-game” approach says what Edmonton fans already know that this goaltending situation remains far from resolved and Jarry’s delayed return only extends the period of doubt.
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