The 2025 NHL playoffs have been anything but predictable for the Edmonton Oilers, and no player embodies that unpredictability more than goaltender Stuart Skinner. What began as a playoff nightmare for the young netminder has evolved into one of the most perplexing storylines of Edmonton’s postseason run, a tale of early struggles, redemption, and streaky brilliance.
Skinner started the playoffs between the pipes for the Oilers but was quickly overwhelmed in the first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings. In Game 1 on April 21, he allowed six goals on 30 shots, finishing the night with a dismal .800 save percentage in a 5-6 loss. Just two nights later, things got worse. Skinner surrendered five goals on 28 shots in Game 2, and the Oilers once again fell, this time 2-6, with Skinner posting a .821 save percentage. His shaky performance prompted head coach Kris Knoblauch to make a change, turning to veteran backup Calvin Pickard.
Pickard brought temporary stability to the crease and helped the Oilers regain momentum in the series. But fate had other plans. When Pickard was injured later in the postseason, Skinner was thrust back into the spotlight, an unenviable position for someone whose confidence looked shaken just weeks earlier.
Yet what followed has been nothing short of bizarre. In his return to the net, Skinner alternated between subpar outings and stellar, even perfect, performances. On May 10, against the Vegas Golden Knights, Skinner allowed four goals on 24 shots (.833 SV%) in a 3-4 loss. But just two days later, he was flawless, recording a 23-save shutout in a 3-0 win. He followed that with another masterpiece, an overtime shutout against Vegas with 24 saves, helping the Oilers steal the game on the road.
Then came another dip. On May 21, Skinner was shelled for five goals on 27 shots in a 3-6 loss to the Dallas Stars, his save percentage dipping back down to .815. And again, like clockwork, he rebounded with a 25-save shutout in game 2, lifting the Oilers to a critical 3-0 win.
In seven appearances this postseason, Skinner has four games with a save percentage below .835 and three shutouts, an unprecedented swing in form. For the Oilers, his inconsistency is both a gamble and a potential weapon. When he's on, Skinner looks unbeatable; when he's off, he can sink the team's hopes.
As the playoffs push deeper into critical territory, one question looms: which version of Stuart Skinner will show up next?