Stuart Skinner might not have had the most positive reputation as an Edmonton Oiler, but it's safe to assume his impact on the team has been that and then some.
After all, he was part of two Western Conference-winning iterations of the franchise, and he also helped get the Oilers within one win of a long-awaited (for club and country) Stanley Cup. That 2024 Stanley Cup Final was also the closest any Canadian team had gotten to ending the country's Stanley Cup drought.
Before that year, the Vancouver Canucks were the closest team to doing so, pulling within one win of lifting the iconic trophy in 1994 and 2011. Both the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens reached the Stanley Cup Final, with the latter winning Canada's last Stanley Cup. The Winnipeg Jets and Toronto Maple Leafs have yet to get back to or, in the former case, make the Stanley Cup Final altogether.
Yes, the goaltender many loved to criticize at several points was part of the reason Edmonton got so close to bringing the Stanley Cup back to Canada.
But could Skinner still help his former teammates achieve that goal?
Yes, he could.
Stuart Skinner's performance could push Winnipeg to consider trading Connor Hellebuyck
We're now one week into the new NHL season, and Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck is still under his team-imposed suspension.
In his place is Skinner and ex-Washington Capital Clay Stevenson, the latter of whom just helped the Jets beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2. Meanwhile, Skinner's first two starts included a 4-3 overtime loss to the Boston Bruins and a 3-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings, one that saw him record a .944 save percentage.
It is worth taking the above performances with a grain of salt, especially given that the new season is only a week old. And the Jets are about to contest a three-game homestand that includes contests against the defending Presidents' Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche and the Quinn Hughes-led Minnesota Wild; both teams are arguably seen as two of the key centrepieces in the Western Conference playoff picture. And just four days after the latter contest, the Jets will be hosting the 2026 Stanley Cup champions, the Carolina Hurricanes.
In 10 days, we will have a better idea as to whether the Jets' stopgap-as-of-now goaltending unit is a legitimate option going forward. But if the first three games are any indication, there is a chance that Skinner and Stevenson give the Jets' front office something to think about when it comes to deciding the future of the team's goaltending unit.
What would Skinner and Stevenson have to do to sway Winnipeg's front office in favor of a Hellebuyck trade?
As mentioned above, there are a handful of opportunities for Skinner and Stevenson to make their mark and have a signature performance or two over the next two weeks. What's more is that the Heritage Classic, which will see the Jets host the Montreal Canadiens at Princess Auto Stadium, could very well put any new goaltending tandem on full display.
Ideally, the goaltending will have to play a significant role in ensuring that the Jets win at least half of the eight games between now and the Heritage Classic. With the Jets already at 2-0-1, that would put their record at 6-4-1 heading into a three-game set against Florida-based teams and a rematch with the Hurricanes.
If they do that, the Jets could be convinced that they have a means to accelerate the Hellebuyck trade talks and put their support behind their other two two goalies.
Even though Pierre LeBrun recently denied the prospect of Hellebuyck being traded to another Canadian team, this is nonetheless where the Oilers can come in. They might still need to give up a goaltender in order to make a trade with Winnipeg work, especially if the Jets do not commit to a full-fledged roster revamp. But increased flexibility on the part of the Jets' front office could help Edmonton convince them to take on a prospect rather than a full-time starter.
That flexibility can only come from Skinner and continued consistency on his part.
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