Do Stuart Skinner and Brett Kulak have futures beyond this season with the Pittsburgh Penguins? Will they even finish this campaign in Pittsburgh?
The big trade late last Friday that sent goalie Stuart Skinner to the Pittsburgh Penguins from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for netminder Tristan Jarry was a calculated gamble on the Oilers' behalf. Jarry will be expected to guide Edmonton into the playoffs.
But if you look at the deal through the prism of Penguins GM Kyle Dubas, the trade provides the Penguins with options, and that's an excellent situation.
Pittsburgh has overachieved in the minds of some this season, but they're only one point out of a playoff spot entering Monday's action. The reality is the Pens have two goals this year: bring in young players to be the core of the next generation of the franchise, while at the same time being competitive this year.
It's a delicate balance to be sure, but considering what Dubas might do with the two players he got from the Oilers – Skinner and defenseman Brett Kulak – there are some different potential roads ahead for these two new Penguins.
If the Penguins stay in the playoff hunt, you'd have to think Dubas will hang onto Skinner and Kulak. Both players are slated to be UFAs at the end of the season, so they're essentially auditioning to stick with Pittsburgh over the long haul.
Even if things do go well for them, Skinner's current $2.6-million salary and Kulak's $2.75-million salary give the Penguins great value this season. They likely won't price themselves out of the market on new contracts, either. Pittsburgh has about $16 million in space this year and $54.2 million next season, with 14 players on the active roster under contract, so money won't be an obstacle if Kulak and Skinner prove valuable investments beyond this season.
However, if Pittsburgh does fall out of playoff contention by or before the NHL's March 6 trade deadline, at least one, if not both, Skinner and Kulak may become valuable trade assets.
As we've seen this season, the goalie market is a seller's market. With Arturs Silovs and either Sergei Murashov or Joel Blomqvist set to be the Penguins' tandem of the future, it makes sense that Skinner gets flipped to a team in need of netminding help this season. But Skinner and Kulak have to produce positive results to drum up a market and some negotiating leverage for themselves.
The good news in that regard is that, in four of his past five games, Skinner has averaged a save percentage of .909 or better, and in three of his past five games, he's had an SP of .958 or better. If Skinner can continue even close to those numbers with the Penguins, Dubas will be able to command a high price for him.
'It Just Made Sense For Us To Do It At This Time': Penguins' GM Kyle Dubas Gives Insight On Jarry Trade
It's safe to say that <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/breaking-penguins-deal-tristan-jarry-to-edmonton-oilers">the trade sending Pittsburgh Penguins' goaltender Tristan Jarry and forward Sam Poulin to the Edmonton Oilers on Friday</a> - which returned goaltender Stuart Skinner, defenseman Brett Kulak, and a 2029 second-round pick - surprised a whole lot of people, fans and players alike.
Of course, flipping Skinner would have to mean Silovs is ready to become the starter right away. Right now, it's uncertain whether he can carry the load. After an impressive October, his numbers worsened to a 3.20 goals-against average and .893 save percentage, and he hasn't won a game since Nov. 6.
Kulak, meanwhile, has two assists in 31 games but is a valuable second- or third-pair defensive defenseman. The Penguins have five blueliners aged 30 or older, so if they want to get younger, Kulak could be a valuable trade candidate by March.
Dubas has already converted Jarry into something tangible, but with Skinner and Kulak, he may only wait a matter of months before deciding on their futures with the organization. If the Penguins hear early from teams in urgent need of netminding help, they'd be foolish not to capitalize on Skinner's services and turn them into long-term pieces of the puzzle in Pittsburgh – that is, unless they're convinced the 27-year-old fits in their long-term picture.
One thing's for sure: Dubas didn't have this flexibility before trading Jarry, whose contract expires in 2028 and carries a $5.375-million cap hit. The second-round pick in the 2029 NHL draft they also received is gravy – acquiring Skinner and Kulak will help Dubas' Penguins accomplish their short- and long-term goals.
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