Stuart Skinner stayed with billet families during his four years in Lethbridge, Alta.
He’s a star goalie with the Edmonton Oilers now, but those in the community still remember him for his antics off the ice.
“We were always laughing. It was just always fun,” said Stacey Bolton, a teacher councillor at Winston Churchill High School and education advisor for the Lethbridge Hurricanes.
Bolton remembers the exact hallway where she first met Skinner. She said the impact of the team’s 2014 roster, where Skinner played as a goalie, was lasting.
“They were phenomenal,” she said.
“It’s honestly hard to put into words what types of relationships were created that year. I became a billet mom because of that group and now I’m part of the team.”
As the Oilers prepare for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, where they will play against the Florida Panthers, a pair of teachers in Lethbridge, Alta., are sharing their fond memories of Stuart Skinner.
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Geoff Waugh, who taught science and biology to Skinner and some of his teammates, has fond memories of the athlete, describing him as a great student.
“He had a good personality,” Waugh said.
“Not a big personality in class, but he always got his work done and he was great to ask for help whenever he needed it.”
During Skinner’s time with the Western Hockey League, Waugh said he was a fan favourite, making some big saves between the goal post.
Skinner’s time in Lethbridge ended when he was traded to the Swift Current Broncos. In 2018, he signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Oilers.
He said most people don’t realize the ordeal that WHL players often go through as they navigate busy schedules.
“They’d go on bus trips and they’d get home late or they would have to get ready for Christmas,” Waugh said.
“You get to see the other side that a lot of other people didn’t. At the end of it all, they were just really good kids. I couldn’t be more proud of him, not just as a player, but as the man he’s grown into.”
As a counsellor, Bolton said she couldn’t help but wonder about the mental stress faced by some of the Oilers players.
“I see him with his eye twitches on the TV when the camera zooms in on him and I can’t help but wonder, ‘What is he thinking?’ or ‘Why is he blinking fast?’” she said.
“Just the mental strength he has, and to perform at an elite level night in and night out … it’s just special to watch.
“I’m really happy for him that he’s getting to live the dream that so many of these kids dream about.”
Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final takes place Saturday at 6 p.m. MT.
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