The Edmonton Oilers have made some notable improvements this summer – including adding sniper Jeff Skinner, right winger Viktor Arvidsson and youngster Vasily Podkolzin.
The Oilers are clearly one of the front-runners to win the Stanley Cup in 2024-25, but there’s one X-factor that could push Edmonton into Cup glory or sink their championship aspirations. And that’s their goaltending – most notably, starting netminder Stuart Skinner.
Since he broke into the NHL in 2021, Skinner has shown flashes of brilliance, but like every other netminder, he’s also struggled at times.
In 23 post-season games last spring, Skinner posted a solid enough goals-against average of 2.45, but his save percentage was a so-so .901. His second round was shaky, but he improved in the conference final and Cup final. Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky had some shaky moments as well, with a .906 save percentage overall, but his play in Game 7 of the Cup final and his games that eliminated the New York Rangers, Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning gave his opponents no chance to beat him. He was an X-factor for the Panthers as well, and his timing ultimately worked out better than Skinner’s.
This coming season, Skinner has to be at least as good as he was last year. He had a 2.62 GAA and .905 SP, but he was much better after the Oilers changed coaches in mid-November, recording a .912 SP and 2.46 GAA in 50 games afterward. He appeared in 59 games overall, which probably should be his upper limit.
Edmonton’s other option between the pipes is 32-year-old journeyman Calvin Pickard, who availed himself quite nicely – including a .915 SP and 2.21 GAA in three playoff appearances last year – but Pickard’s 23 NHL games last season are the most he’s had since 2016-17. Can the Oilers really rely on him to be the full-time understudy for Skinner? The jury is still out on that one.
Skinner is still only 25 years old – a young man in goaltending terms – and there’s room for him to grow his game. But Edmonton is built around its overwhelming offense – and at the end of last post-season, the Panthers’ defense was that much better than the Oilers’. If Skinner had raised his SP by a fraction or two in the early stages of the Cup final, Edmonton could’ve won it all.
There’s still lots of time for the Oilers’ goaltending picture to change, but it’s highly unlikely Skinner will lose the starter’s job. He will be given every opportunity to thrive, and by the time the playoffs roll around, Skinner will be looked to as ‘The Man’ in net. He may wind up with a different understudy by the time the trade deadline arrives, but without some disastrous stretch of hockey, Skinner will be the last line of defense. The way he handles the pressure and the spotlight may dictate whether the Oilers build on last season with a Stanley Cup championship or whether they take a step backward.
Get the latest news and trending stories right to your inbox by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or by visiting our forum.
Related: Oilers Face Key Decision: Long-Term Deal Or Bridge Contract For Evan Bouchard?
Related: Five NHL Pre-Season Predictions For The Flames, Oilers, Kraken And The Pacific Division
Related: Did Offer Sheets To Oilers Teammates Really Cause Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to ‘Pout Like Little Babies?’
News Summary:
- Oilers' Goaltender Will Dictate Whether They Win It All This Year Or Fail Trying
- Check all news and articles from the latest NHL updates.