The Edmonton Oilers clinched a playoff berth with a win over the Anaheim Ducks on April 1 and momentum is on their side as the postseason draws near. Connor McDavid continues his legendary campaign and recently became the 10th player in NHL history to reach 140 points, Leon Draisaitl recorded the third 50-goal season of his career against the Ducks, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is enjoying the most productive season of his career at age 29. On defence, Mattias Ekholm has come as advertised and has brought a sense of stability to the blue line, and as a result, Evan Bouchard’s play has improved and Darnell Nurse has also been playing at a higher level recently as well.
In goal, Stuart Skinner’s season has been nothing short of remarkable. With an expectation heading into this season to back up Jack Campbell, he took over the starting goaltender role, was voted to play in the NHL All-Star Game, and is also leaving his mark on the Oilers’ record books. With his shutout victory over the Los Angeles Kings on March 30, he set a franchise record for most wins in a month by a goaltender, surpassing Andy Moog, and in the process was named the NHL’s rookie of the month for March.
Yet, one of the biggest question marks and areas of uncertainty as the postseason approaches for the Oilers is in net. Given Campbell’s inconsistency throughout the year, unless something unexpected happens, it appears that Skinner will be the starting goaltender when the playoffs commence. In a season where the expectation is to go the distance, it might be a daunting task for a rookie to handle such pressure.
That said, Skinner has been gaining momentum down the stretch, but there’s concern about his lack of NHL playoff experience, and it was a topic of conversation among Oilers fans on the “Inside Sports” show. Yet, despite not having played a postseason NHL game, I wouldn’t underestimate his ability to rise to the occasion. He has a proven track record of winning at every level he’s played, demonstrating his capacity to excel in high-stress situations. Let’s take a look at what he’s accomplished up until now.
Skinner Won the Pacific Division Title with Jay Woodcroft
During the 2020-21 season, due to COVID-19, the American Hockey League (AHL) did not crown a Calder Cup champion; however, the Oilers’ AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors won the Pacific Division title and were backstopped by Skinner. It was decided in a best-of-three series playoff format, and they defeated their first-round opponent, the San Diego Gulls, winning two out of three games. In the Pacific Division Final, the Condors and the Vegas Golden Knights’ minor league team, the Henderson Silver Knights, split the first two games of the series. In Game 3, in the winner-take-all event, Skinner rose to the occasion, edging out current Golden Knights’ netminder Logan Thompson, making 33 saves en route to a 3-2 win. As a result, the Condors were awarded the John D. Chick Trophy and crowned the Pacific Division champions.
Skinner excelled in that AHL postseason and went 4-2-0 and posted a 2.68 goals-against-average (GAA) and a .907 save percentage (SV%). At the same time, his performance during the regular season was also impressive. He led all AHL goaltenders with 20 wins and most minutes played (1787) and posted a 2.38 GAA and .914 SV% in 31 regular season games.
Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft was the head coach of the Pacific Division-winning Condors team at the time and said about Skinner after the win, “We asked Stuart to take a step and become an elite American Hockey League goaltender.” Woodcroft added, “He came in and steadied the water, and led the league in the most important category, in my opinion, wins.” Since Woodcroft and Skinner have already won a title together, albeit, at the minor league level, it’s reasonable to assume that the coach will have a feeling of trust and comfort toward his goaltender during the upcoming NHL postseason, which could have a ripple effect of confidence throughout the entire team.
Skinner Has Won at Every Level of His Hockey Career
Moreover, Skinner has had success at the junior level as well. In 2018, he was traded from the Lethbridge Hurricanes to the Swift Current Broncos and he backstopped the club to a Western Hockey League (WHL) championship. An interesting fact is that he outdueled the former two-time Canadian Hockey League’s (CHL) goaltender of the year and current Philadelphia Flyer, Carter Hart, and defeated the Everett Silvertips in the final to win the title. On top of that, Skinner led all major goaltending statistical categories during that postseason, once again rising to the occasion, with a 2.20 GAA, a .932 SV%, and posted six shutouts.
In addition, the Edmonton, AB, native helped Team Alberta capture gold at the U16 Western Canada Challenge Cup, stopping 16 of 18 shots in the final game. As well, he won the Alberta Major Midget Bantam Hockey League Championship in 2011-12 with current Oilers’ minor league players Tyler Benson, James Hamblin, and also the Oilers’ emergency backup goaltender (EBUG), Matt Berlin, on the team. Lastly, Skinner also won another championship in 2012-13 and backstopped his club to its first Western Canada Bantam Championship title.
Related: Longtime Oilers Fans Rewarded With Historic Season
Skinner may not have NHL playoff experience, but his track record suggests he has what it takes to succeed. The 6-foot-4 netminder recently said in an interview, “Experience is the greatest teacher,” and with his experience winning at every level and ability to deliver when it matters most, the Oilers may have an ace in the hole and his potential may be realized this postseason.
How do you think Skinner will handle the pressure of the playoffs? Have your say in the comments below!
