Entering the 2025-26 National Hockey League (NHL) season, no topic was more pressing on the minds of Edmonton Oilers fans than the situation between the pipes.
That is, after the Connor McDavid extension news came. Even then, all summer long fans waited patiently as the Oilers general manager Stan Bowman made plenty of moves but nothing substantial happened in the team's crease.
Rumours after rumours and the Oilers always seemed to be the odd man out. That was until the club traded future considerations to the Utah Mammoth for goaltender Connor Ingram. Even then, the Oilers goalies remained the same.
That is why Skinner's 2-0 shutout victory on Tuesday night was such a big statement game for the 26 year old netminder.
Stuart Skinner faces immense pressure
Every fan has heard it, that firing a coach is easy and usually a precursor move before making a big trade. In many cases it is a last ditch effort and that seems to be the case for the Oilers goaltenders with Bowman sending mixed signals to the tandem.
This past summer, the team ousted long time goaltending coach Dustin Schwartz and brought in a man much more familiar to Bowman, Peter Aubry. He was the man hired by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2015 and the pair worked together for years before Bowman was removed by the NHL from his post with the team.
Given the lack of on-ice personnel movement, this change seemed to signal that the team was willing to let the season play out before acting. Give the Oilers goalie tandem one last run before making a big change either in season or letting them walk at the end of it.
Skinner's redemption?
Heading into training camp, many commented on the changes to Skinner's physique and his play, noting the positive changes he made. Commenting on his radio show Oilers Now, insider Bob Stauffer said "Stuart Skinner looks completely different. He looks quicker, more agile, and frankly, when you see him up close, it’s obvious he’s dropped some weight.”
This praise sparked optimism but with his struggles in the preseason and in the season opener -- a 4-3 shootout loss to their Battle of Alberta rivals, the Calgary Flames -- fans were worried.
This game at Madison Square Gardens against the Rangers shows the capabilities of Skinner as a goalie. He was able to earn a shutout against a team that boasts some high scorers like J.T. Miller, Mika Zibanejad, and Artemi Panarin. Those three alone accounted for 10 of the 30 shots he faced, which is no easy task.
Using advanced stats website, moneypuck.com it paints an even better picture for Skinner, stating he faced 3.83 expected goals. This is in stark contrast to the 1.38 expected goals that Igor Shesterkin faced on the other end. This means the Oilers should have let in nearly four goals by their model and scored only two, losing 4-2.
This also means that despite many fans unhappiness with Skinner, he stole the Oilers the game on Tuesday night. This is the level of performance that fans expect from the starting goaltender that has helped backstop the Oilers to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals appearances.
If he can continue to play at or near this level, he could be the goalie who helps lift the first cup in Canada since 1993.