Earlier this week, Edmonton Oilers GM Stan Bowman raised eyebrows during an appearance on the 100% Hockey Podcast where he made somewhat conflicting remarks about the team’s goaltending, the roster’s most questioned area heading into the 2025-26 season.
Despite previously backing the returning tandem of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard, Bowman’s latest comments hint at deeper concerns. On one hand, Bowman said he wouldn’t make a change unless it was a clear upgrade. “To change something just to change it, I don’t know that I’ve ever been a big fan of that,” he said. “You have to be confident the change you’re making is an improvement.”
But moments later, when talking about the decision to move on from longtime goalie coach Dustin Schwartz, Bowman admitted change was needed though not necessarily because of poor performance, but because things had grown stale. “Sometimes change is good. Skinner’s been here for a few years in a row, and same with Pickard. I just felt maybe a little bit of a different look would be good for our organization.”
The Oilers didn’t touch their goaltending this summer despite back-to-back playoff exits in which Skinner lost the starter’s job. Still, reports suggest the team is monitoring the goalie market and may look for a trade closer to training camp.
Make-or-break time for Stuart Skinner in Oilers goal
Skinner has had far from a decent year last season. He played 51 games in the 2024-25 season with a 26-18-4 record. His goals-against average was 2.81 and his save percentage was just .896, clearly below average for a starter. And things didn’t look much better in the postseason either.
In the playoffs, Skinner lost his starting job after giving up too many goals early in the series. He bounced back later with two shutouts in the Conference Final but overall finished the postseason with a save percentage under .900 and a GAA close to 3.00.
According to OilersNation’s Zach Laing, the next 11 months will be key for Edmonton’s goaltending situation. Laing pointed out that the upcoming season will be crucial for Skinner and the Oilers. “There were options out there for the team in the goaltending department and something could still change ahead of the season, but Oilers GM Stan Bowman has been ardent in his support of Skinner in the crease,” he reported.
“To put it simply: it’s make-or-break time for Stuart Skinner and the Edmonton Oilers.” Skinner is entering the final year of his 3-year, $7.8 million contract. He will become an unrestricted free agent next summer. Reports say he could ask for over $6 million per year on his next deal which is a big jump for someone who hasn’t been consistent in the playoffs.
Meanwhile, Pickard signed a 2-year contract extension worth $1 million per season which runs through the next season. As both Skinner and Pickard are set to become unrestricted free agents next summer there is some serious need for reinforcements between the Oilers sticks. While the front office is actively discussing extensions with Connor McDavid, Jake Walman and Mattias Ekholm, there has been no similar buzz around Skinner.
With cap space opening next summer, Edmonton must decide whether to bet on Skinner again or look elsewhere before it’s too late.