I took a look in a recent article in The Hockey News about the collateral damage done to Stuart Skinner in Pittsburgh. It got me thinking that Skinner’s early struggles with the Penguins were easy fuel for critics eager to declare the Edmonton Oilers the clear winners of their recent goalie trade. But that superficial takeaway ignores the bigger picture. Skinner didn’t necessarily fail in Edmonton; he fell victim to an Oilers team that once again sleepwalked through the first two months of the NHL season.
That slow start probably cost him his job.
Since being traded to the Penguins, Skinner’s numbers have dropped. In three starts, he posted save percentages of .862 against Toronto, .850 against Montreal and an ugly .773 against his former Oilers teammates. On paper, it seems like confirmation that Edmonton got rid of the right goalie at the right time.
In reality, Edmonton changed goalies for the sake of change – not because Skinner suddenly forgot how to play the position. This is the same netminder who defeated Jake Oettinger in a series against the Dallas Stars. Frankly, he would have played better than several top-quality goaltenders when it mattered.
The Oilers were disjointed and inconsistent in October and November. Defensive coverage was ample, backchecking was optional, and team buy-in came and went. That environment is poison for any goalie, especially one who is asked to be stable while the skaters in front of him aren’t locked up. Edmonton didn’t defend hard enough early to protect Skinner’s confidence or his numbers, and as the pressure mounted, management pulled the cord.
Fast forward a few weeks and the irony is obvious. The Oilers now play structured, playoff-style hockey. Unfortunately for Skinner, that buy-in came after he was already gone.
Now Tristan Jarry and Connor Ingram can enjoy the benefits.
The new guys (Ingram and Jarry) benefit from a better Oilers team
Jarry and Ingram don’t have to steal games every night. They play behind a defense that is more committed, disciplined and far better prepared for postseason hockey than the version Skinner faced earlier this season. That matters. A lot of.
Meanwhile, Skinner ends up in Pittsburgh, a team bleeding opportunities, slipping in the standings and unlikely to provide the defensive structure he needs to stabilize his play before he’s released. Twelve goals conceded in three games is not just a statistical limit; it’s the reality of goaltending behind a team that isn’t built to protect its netminder.
Skinner didn’t suddenly become a bad goalkeeper. The Oilers simply woke up too late to save him. They did this for several seasons in a row, all of which hampered Skinner’s reputation for several seasons as a young goaltender trying to cement himself as an NHL starter, only to be thrown into the playoffs at just 23 years old.
Next: Oil companies read between the lines as a big 3C target looms
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