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Stuart Skinner Bringing Depth & Stability to the Oilers Crease

By Colton Pankiw

Jan 31, 2021; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner (50) makes a save during warmups before a game against the Ottawa Senators at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 31, 2021; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner (50) makes a save during warmups before a game against the Ottawa Senators at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports /
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When it was announced that Alex Stalock would be forced to miss the 2021-22 season due to a heart condition, many expected the Edmonton Oilers to go out and find a veteran goaltender for extra depth. The reason many put such an emphasis on doing so is due to the lack of confidence in the team’s current duo of Mike Smith and Mikko Koskinen.

The lack of confidence stems from Smith’s age along with Koskinen’s major inconsistencies in 2020-21. Though it is possible he bounces back and Smith is able to continue off of his great performance last season, there is plenty that could go wrong with this duo as well. Thankfully, however, Ken Holland may not have to bring in another goalie for depth after all, as he appears to already have an in-house option.

Stuart Skinner, who the Oilers drafted back in 2017, was able to make his NHL debut last season. Though he appeared in just one game in Edmonton, he was very solid in his 31 American Hockey League (AHL) games with the Bakersfield Condors, posting a 2.38 goals-against average (GAA) and a .914 save percentage (SV%). Despite the solid numbers, there were still some doubts surrounding him, as there were thoughts that his numbers may have benefitted due to the great team playing in front of him.

So far in the 2021-22 exhibition season, he has proven that he is a very capable goaltender. He was solid in each of his first two appearances throughout the preseason, but it was on Friday night against the Seattle Kraken that he really stood out. Despite facing a lineup far more skilled than the one the Oilers iced last night, Skinner was just 52 seconds away from recording a shutout but was finally solved by Jaden Schwartz to tie the game at one.

The Kraken went on to win the game by a score of 2-1 in overtime, but it was clear that Skinner, who stopped 39 out of 41 shots in the contest, was the best player on the ice all night long. He undoubtedly wants to be the ‘next man up’ on the Oilers depth chart, and certainly deserves to be so based on his play in camp.

At just 22-years-old, Skinner still has a ways to go before becoming an NHL starter. In fact, the jury is still out on whether or not he will get to that point. At the very least, he figures to become a backup at the NHL level, but there is no sense in him starting the 2021-22 season off in that role. The best thing for him right now is to get a ton of starts in Bakersfield and continue to work on his craft. From there, it will be a wait-and-see process.

If both Koskinen and Smith are able to hold the fort down this season, the Oilers will leave Skinner in the minors. However, as mentioned above, if there are struggles or either sustains an injury, he has done enough early on to suggest the team can be confident in calling him up and rely on him to win them some games. If he falters, then perhaps is the time that Holland should look at the trade market and consider bringing in another goaltender. For now, he should stick with what he has, and give Skinner a chance if the opportunity presents itself.

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