Stuart Skinner needs to be better for the Oilers in the playoffs

Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner has been a hot topic for conversation during his young career. That is especially true when it comes to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

While Edmonton has done plenty all around to underachieve in the postseason, their goaltending certainly hasn’t helped. 

Skinner is a solid regular-season goalie. But in 14 career playoff starts, the 25-year-old is 6-7 with a .879 save percentage and 3.81 goals-against average. That is nowhere near good enough to win a Stanley Cup, even with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. 

Last year, Skinner was pulled multiple times in the playoffs. And in 2024, he has not shown much better. Actually, he hasn’t shown any better.  

In two games against the Los Angeles Kings, Skinner is 1-1 with a .857 save percentage and 4.42 goals-against average. 4.42! That means that his play has only gotten worse, and it’s a big reason why the Kings were able to even the series 1-1 on Wednesday. 

Does he need to stop everything? No, his team can outscore even mediocre goaltending. But does he need to be better than five goals against on only 31 shots and make key saves like on Anze Kopitar’s overtime game-winner? Absolutely. 

Otherwise, Edmonton is going to be looking back at their playoffs with utter disappointment once again. 

Frank Seravalli: Fact or fiction, Stuart Skinner has yet to prove that he can play in the Stanley Cup Playoffs?

Tyler Yaremchuk: Oh, that is 100 percent a fact. Look back at last year, he got yanked against the Kings in that series. Jack Campbell was the one who had to bail them out and save the day. Against Vegas, I think the fatal flaw of Jay Woodcroft in that series was continuing to trot out Stuart Skinner even though he had to pull him a few times… 100 percent he hasn’t proven it. Can he prove it?… Last night, he needed to be better. I’m not going to say they have a Stuart Skinner problem… But you develop a past. And his past is opening the door for that conversation. 

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