Skinner's new coaching option raises questions about staff effectivity

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Noel Drolet
May 24, 2024 (12:18)

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Skinner's new choice of goalie coach should push out Oilers old school coach.

With Stuart Skinner's mixed performances in net, it's clear that something had to change. Everything about skinner's game was mental, as he's said on multiple occasions that he really succumbs to the pressure in tough situations. All he needed was a change, and he took it upon himself to get a new goalie coach to help him with the mental aspects of the game.

Despite the terrible recording in the clip, the numbers show the whole picture. During games 1-3 under Oilers goaltending coach Dustin Schwartz, Skinner went 1-2 with an abysmal .793 save percentage. During games 6-7 under new goalie coach Adam Francilia, Skinner has fully bounced back recording a .906 save percentage and a 2-0 record in those two games. Even though .906 isn't great, it's been good enough to keep the Oilers alive.

This was followed by another great performance in net in game 1 where Skinner did make some mistakes, but also made some huge saves to keep the Oilers in the game. He recorded a very strong .939 save percentage against one of the best offenses in the league, showing how dominant he can be when he's at his best.

The question now becomes; with Stuart Skinner and Jack Campbell both having found goalie coaches outside of the organization, what is the point in keeping Oilers goalie coach Dustin Schwartz?

If every goalie who has expectations and has been in the system for long has refused to work under Schwartz, then why is he still around? At this point the only goalie he still works with is Calvin Pickard, and he has been known to be very outdated for a while.

His old school coaching style works great for older goalies, but it doesn't teach younger goalies anything about sports psychology, something that is crucial in the most important position in hockey. His outdated ways have made him obsolete, and it's time for the Oilers to part ways with him in search of a better option for the role.