Oilers Goalie Stuart Skinner May Be Unavailable for a Mid-Season Road Trip
Photo credit: The Hockey News
The new NHL season is on the horizon, and it appears that Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner may not be available in January 2025 for some games as his wife and himself are expecting their second child.
This news will mean that Skinner's tandem partner Calvin Pickard Will own the net for a few games as the Oilers enter the second half of the year. It may even be the perfect time to call up top goalie prospect Olivier Rodrigue for his NHL debut. The Oilers play some tough teams in January, so it will be a test to lose their starting goalie.
Aside fatherhood, Skinner will also brace for the heavy workload that he's about to face as he is the number one goaltender for the Oilers. He spoke to reporters on how he feels as a player and as the starter for the team which he revealed a greater maturity in himself.
"Yeah, very different,» Skinner said following Tuesday's practice. «I think the way everything kind of happened, the things that I've been able to go through as a person and as a hockey player, it helps you grow. You can take it either way. So for me, it's just trying to learn and trying to be the best that I can possibly be.
Skinner along with the Oilers learnt great lessons last year as the team went through several phases which included a terrible start, the firing of their head coach while bring in a new voice, A-16 game-winning streak that had everyone in the NHL talking and an unbelievable Cup run which took them within two goals of winning the Stanley Cup.
Skinner is hoping the team will have a much better start and with so many new faces it will likely take a little time for the Oilers to find their groove in hopes they can gel.
"That also doesn't matter,» he said bluntly. «I think the most important thing is just getting ready for the regular season here. We've got two more games, so those are opportunities for us to prepare the best way we can to have a good start.
«Obviously, we don't want to do what we did last year at the start of the season, so it's our job to prepare ourselves the best way that we can."
«Obviously, we don't want to do what we did last year at the start of the season, so it's our job to prepare ourselves the best way that we can."
His stat line last year shows he can handle the load as he went on a record of 36-16-5 with the goals against of 2.62 and a save percentage of .905 through 59 games.
The Oilers will have their opening night at home against the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday October 9th, game time at 10:00 PM eastern.
Source: NHL.com
BLOG: Skinner well-equipped to handle Oilers starting job
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