Jordan Binnington trade talk takes a turn after Elliotte Friedman's Oilers update
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Elliotte Friedman says Edmonton is not pushing for Jordan Binnington while Devon Levi and Tristan Jarry hold up in net.
Elliotte Friedman has cooled the Jordan Binnington talk in Edmonton.
On Monday's 32 Thoughts podcast, he said he does not see the Oilers looking at the St. Louis Blues goaltender right now, pointing to the way Devon Levi has played and the solid start Tristan Jarry has put together.
He added that he does not think Edmonton is rushing toward that kind of trade.
“I don't think right now Edmonton is looking at it, the way Levi has played…Jarry has been pretty good. I don't think that Edmonton is rushing to make that move."
- Elliotte Friedman
- Elliotte Friedman
The Edmonton connection began on Saturday's Headlines segment, when guest panelist Erik Johnson suggested the Oilers should go get Binnington.
Friedman himself said only that he was hearing noise about the veteran, and he did not link him to Edmonton.
Why the Oilers Can Wait
The crease looks healthier than it did a few weeks ago.
Jarry went into the weekend at 4-1-3 with a 2.57 goals-against average, an .898 save percentage and two shutouts in eight appearances, a real step up from the .858 he posted in 19 games with Edmonton last season.
Levi came off injured reserve on Saturday after missing seven games and stopped 20 shots in a 4-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks.
Frederik Andersen is also working his way back, so the Oilers may soon have three goalies for two spots.
Money and no-trade clauses complicate things too.
Jarry carries a $5.375 million cap hit through 2027-28, so bringing in Binnington would likely mean moving Jarry out.
Binnington's no-trade list covers 10 teams, while Jarry's covers 12.
What Could Change the Picture
Friedman did not slam the door. He said Binnington's play at the 4 Nations and the Olympics shows an elite level when the stakes rise, and that a contender would trust him in big games.
His regular-season form is the concern, and he has reportedly lost the starting job in St. Louis.
That makes him look more like a playoff-pressure option than a rescue for a goaltending emergency.
Levi's contract shapes the timing as well.
He earns a modest salary and becomes a restricted free agent in the summer of 2027, so Edmonton needs to learn what he is before then.
A Binnington trade now would cloud that picture.
If either Levi or Jarry slips, the conversation changes quickly.
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