February 7, 2023 by Mike Dashney

Stuart Skinner is everything the Edmonton Oilers have ever wanted! Among a collection of others, there are a couple of things that the Oilers keep trying to do without much success. Getting a strong start at the beginnings of games, and not playing down to the level of their opponents…. Oh, waaait! That’s not it. That’s for a different article.

What I am speaking to this time is their inability to draft, develop, and produce a quality starting goaltender since Andy Moog and Grant Fuhr. The Oilers have drafted 41 goaltenders since 1979. Including playoffs, Fuhr and Moog played almost 2,000 games combined. Devan Dubnyk is the only other goalie since then that has played more than 150 career games (542). As for Dubnyk, he was a quality starting NHL goalie that was developed into his best form outside of the Oilers organization. It was the Nashville Predators Goaltending Coach, Mitch Korn, that rebuilt Dubnyk’s confidence after being swapped for Matt Hendricks in 2014. Additionally, it wasn’t until Arizona Coyotes Sean Burke introduced Dubnyk
to the puck tracking technique of head trajectory that his game revolutionized.

I’m also speaking to the Oilers inability to have a homegrown Edmontonian become a star for our team; this hasn’t happened since the days of Mark Messier and the previously mentioned Fuhr. Joffrey Lupul didn’t quite get there with the Oilers. Sheldon Souray’s experience is well-documented. Jason Strudwick was a treat, but he wasn’t a star. Tyler Benson’s trajectory also looks to be as a bottom 6 player. It could even be argued that Brett Kulak has struggled in his first full season as an Oiler.

Stuart Skinner on the Rise

Stuart Skinner’s rise in his rookie season may be a surprise to some, but not to us that have followed him since he was an underaged 13-year-old playing AAA Bantam (U15AAA) with the South Side Athletic Club (SSAC) in 2011-2012. They won the AMBHL Championship that season. That team was dripping in talent. Stuey’s teammates from that team include other Edmonton Oilers players Tyler Benson, James Hamblin, and recent ATO, Matt Berlin (all 13 while playing in a 14-year-old league). He and Berlin were the returning tandem in 2012-2013. That season, a 14-year-old Skinner won the award for the AAMBHL’s Top Goaltender boasting a league’s best 1.75 GAA. They also repeated as league champions
again.

The following season, Skinner progressed to play AAA Midget (U18AAA) at the SSAC. As a double under-aged player, he not only made the U18 team as a 16-year-old, but he also became their starter. With no surprise Skinner was starting to garner a lot of attention in the scouting community. As a result, he became the 17th overall pick by the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the WHL Draft in 2013.

After the 2013-2014 AMHL season, Skinner was selected to be the starting goalie in the U17 Western Canada Challenge Cup; they won the Gold Medal. He also turned heads when he was given the opportunity to start three games with Lethbridge as a 16-year-old in 2014. The seemingly bluechip goaltender went on to play an impressive WHL Career that spanned over 5 seasons. His entire WHL tenure was with Lethbridge until January 9th, 2018. That was the day he was traded by Lethbridge to the Swift Current Broncos midseason.

After being traded to the Broncos, Skinner dominated the goal crease down the stretch, through the playoffs, and lead the Broncos to their 2018 WHL League Championship. At that point in his young career, it was Skinner’s 4th championship in 8 years of hockey. It was a major accomplishment, and another key step in his maturation. Not only were his family and friends celebrating that win, but every Oilers fan was too. That’s because the previous summer, the Oilers and their scouting staff drafted Skinner in the 3rd round and 78th overall on June 24th at the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. In fact, Peter Chiarelli traded up to get that pick at No. 78 overall. Since then, at almost every level of hockey the 24-year-old has played, he has slowly and steadily improved and progressed.

After turning turned pro in 2018, the new found Oiler prospect became the starting goaltender in ECHL playing in 41 games for the Wichita Thunder. Wichita was 29-31-12 and an average team that season, but Skinner stole the net from the older Dylan Wells.

The following season, he graduated to the AHL, and earned the starting job in Bakersfield with the Condors. He outplayed the older Dylan Wells and Shane Starrett landing him 41 games for the 21-27-8 Condors. In the 2020-2021 season with 2 full years as a minor league pro starter under his belt, the Edmonton Oilers gave Skinner his first NHL start on January 31, 2021. Even though he allowed five goals in that game, he also won his first NHL start in an 8-5 victory over the Ottawa Senators. He finished off that second season as Bakersfield’s starter with respectable numbers earning a 20-9-2 record along side a .914 save percentage.

Following the season, his NHL club showed they believed in him when the Oilers signed Skinner to a 2-year extension. He remained the starting goalie in Bakersfield through 2021-2022 and posted similar numbers again. However, last year his NHL audition was extended to 13 games while he filled in for Mike Smith recovering from various injuries. Additionally, some even argued he was the most consistent goalie we had last season. That debate was compelling and hard to debunk as Skinner had excellent stats in both leagues. He absolutely dominated the AHL during stretches, and it was clear to the organization and its fans that he was ready to be an NHL goalie.

Skinner Makes His NHL Debut

After his waiver exemption expired, he was tabbed for backup role in the NHL behind off-season UFA signing Jack Campbell. Instead, Skinner did what he has always done and defied the odds. Stuart Skinner earned the starting job early in the season and once again stole the crease from an elder in front of him. Just like he did in U15 hockey, U18 hockey, the ECHL, and the AHL.

The full story of Stuart Skinner is far from written of course. But for now, let’s celebrate that, the Edmonton born and developed, Skinner is already an All-Star in his rookie season. The Oilers finally have their home-grown All-Star, and by gawd he’s between the pipes! By all accounts, he is a tremendous teammate and handles media and pressure very well. He appears confident and humble in everything he does, who doesn’t want that in their goaltender? If he continues to mature and advance on his current trajectory, he has the potential to be one of the most popular Oilers of all time.

“Homemade Stu” is everything the Edmonton Oilers always craved and desired.