With an impressive 5-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday, their sixth win in a row, the Edmonton Oilers began the new year by putting even more distance between their dreadful start to the season and the hockey club’s renewal as a force to be reckoned with in the NHL.
While a lengthy list of ingredients go into putting together a winning streak like the one the team is currently on, the play of second-year goaltender Stuart Skinner has been key to following a recipe for success.
“It’s a huge reason that we’re back in the position we’re in now,” forward Zach Hyman told reporters on Thursday, whose team-leading 22 goals this season have also been a major part of the Oilers’ recent success. “I think him and Picks (backup goaltender Calvin Pickard) have given us a chance to win every night of late — it’s been awesome to see.
“All the confidence in the world.”
After putting together a sensational rookie season in 2022-23, one that saw him be nominated for the NHL’s rookie-of-the-year-award, Skinner and fellow netminder Jack Campbell went into the new campaign under a microscope as both fans and hockey pundits had lofty expectations for the Oilers.
The Oilers stumbled out of the gate and struggled mightily as a whole, including the team’s goaltenders. Following a tough 6-2 loss to their divisional rivals the Vancouver Canucks, the Oilers placed Campbell on waivers on Nov. 7, paving the way to send him to the American Hockey League.
At the time, the team held a record of 2-8-1 and Campbell had only recorded one victory on the season, recording a 4.50 goals-against average in that time along with an .873 save percentage. Despite a a goals-against average of 3.99 and a save percentage of .856. at the time, Skinner remained with the Oilers as they looked to bounce back, and just days later, the team fired head coach Jay Woodcroft and replaced him with Kris Knoblauch.
“Stretches like that, especially what we’re seeing right now, it can make a season really good or it can defeat you,” Skinner told reporters when asked about his season turning around.
“The way that we’ve been handling it is definitely a lot of perseverance in our game, and I will say that comes from a lot of experience of us being able to have those conversations to kind of stick together … It’s been helping us get closer as a team.”
Skinner has now picked up 15 wins in the 26 games he’s played this season, and his numbers have significantly improved as he now has a goals-against average of 2.83 and a save percentage of .895.
“He always expects the best out of himself,” Knoblauch said of the 25-year-old goaltender who grew up in Edmonton before eventually joining the Oilers.
“He pushes himself in practices and games … (and) doesn’t hold onto things too long. He’s able to put … (good games or bad games) aside, get back to work the next day in practice, and rebound.”
Mattias Ekholm, who is literally and figuratively a massive pillar on the Oilers’ defence, says he has spent a lot of time with Skinner this season and is impressed by how he bounced back from a tough start, especially at his relatively young age.
“We live really close, so we tend to drive to the airport a lot and we get 40 minutes to talk and we chat and it’s been really cool to get to know him,” he said. “I feel like when you hit that adversity, that’s kind of where you show what you’re made of.
“(I’ve seen a) lot of guys over the years that just fold (after tough stretches) and you never kind of see them again, and he’s shown everybody the exact opposite.”
“Eks was big,” Skinner said while talking about working through his tough time in goal. “He’s been really big for me, just being able to talk to somebody and he’s obviously been through a lot of seasons.”
Since arriving via trade from the Nashville Predators last season, Ekholm said Skinner has struck him as being a resilient athlete.
“He’s always looked like a really sound goaltender to me and it was just a matter of time until he was feeling it,” Ekholm said of Skinner’s difficult start to the season. “It’s been great to watch him.”
After a 7-4 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning earlier this season, Skinner told reporters he felt that he was to blame for that particular loss. Ekholm said it demonstrated an understanding about what accountability means that he would not have had at Skinner’s age.
“You wouldn’t believe how hard that is … to come up and say that,” the Swedish-born defenceman said.
“It says a lot about his character,” Knoblauch said. “He obviously cares a lot and is not trying to deflect any blame … I think his assessment was a little too harsh on himself.”
The Oilers’ next game is on Saturday night when the team hosts the Ottawa Senators at Rogers Place. The club currently sits in fourth place in the NHL’s Pacific Division with a 19-15-1 record.
“”I think it was always in the room,” Hyman said of the Oilers’ ability to climb out of the hole they dug themselves into early in the season. “I think we’ve always been a confident group.
“When things aren’t going well, this group has responded numerous times since I’ve been here. We face adversity well and it’s no different this year. We’ve just gotten back to what makes us successful — playing with pace and just trusting in the process and the result will kind of figure itself out.”
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