Stuart Skinner posted the eighth shutout of his career in his 170th start on Tuesday <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/stuart-skinner-shutout-trent-frederic-first-goal-jack-roslovic-spot-edmonton-oilers-lineup">against the New York Rangers</a>.
In the process, Skinner tied Bill Ranford (428 starts) and Devan Dubnyk (171 starts) for fifth on the Oilers&#8217; all-time shutout list, and he&#8217;s now one behind Grant Fuhr (401 starts) for fourth. Tommy Salo holds the franchise record with 23 goose eggs in 334 starts.
Skinner stole the game <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/stuart-skinner-unbeatable-edmonton-oilers-beat-new-york-rangers-recap-highlights">in New York</a>, making many quality stops during his 30-save performance.

It was the 99th win of his career, and he will go for his 100th win on Thursday night against the New York Islanders. When he wins his next game, he&#8217;ll be the sixth Oilers netminder with 100 wins. He will pass Cam Talbot (104) for fifth place later this month or early in November.
<a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/the-day-after-3-0-oilers-grind-out-greasy-win-over-rangers-to-kick-start-road-trip">During Tuesday&#8217;s game</a>, the Rangers had 3.68 expected goals. They scored none. High danger chances were 10-3 in favour of New York.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
✍️ Scoring Chances Report<a href="https://twitter.com/NYRangers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NYRangers</a> vs <a href="https://twitter.com/EdmontonOilers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EdmontonOilers</a>
🤬 Rangers dominated the run of play — 10-3 in High Danger and 31-19 overall, but couldn’t buy a bounce. Process was right, finish wasn’t there. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NYR?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NYR</a>
Data Courtesy of <a href="https://twitter.com/csahockey?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@csahockey</a> <a href="https://t.co/6gCB3WeeHm">pic.twitter.com/6gCB3WeeHm</a>
&mdash; Stephen Valiquette (@VallysView) <a href="https://twitter.com/VallysView/status/1978456878108532787?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Skinner is often the hot topic in Oilersnation. When he has a bad game or allows a weak goal, the reaction is often rage and anger, usually 10 times higher than after a good performance. I find it fascinating how much blame one player gets when the team loses. I understand why, as it is easier to find a culprit than to feel the pain of losing. Psychologically, it makes sense. It is also fair to point out when Skinner has a bad game, but he&#8217;s also had many good games, like last night and many nights in the playoffs. I don&#8217;t believe a lack of skill is the issue for Skinner. He&#8217;s a capable NHL goalie, and he&#8217;s won big games. He&#8217;s won playoff games by himself. His challenge is finding consistency, which is the challenge for 90% of the league.
The main difference between superstars and average players is usually consistency. There are many players capable of scoring a highlight reel goal, making a great defensive player, or making a huge save, but the great ones do it over and over. I don&#8217;t believe the Oilers need Skinner to be great; they just need a bit more consistency, and I think he&#8217;s capable of doing that.
In his 50 starts after Kris Knoblauch was hired in 2024, Skinner was excellent. He led the NHL in wins over that time with 34; he was fifth in GAA, seventh in goals saved above expected, and eighth in save percentage. In the playoffs, he had two rough outings vs. Vancouver, but in the other 21 starts, he posted a .911 save percentage and 2.21 GAA. It was his second season in the NHL, yet some will tell you he wasn&#8217;t good in 2024, despite stats showing otherwise. Last season, Skinner wasn&#8217;t as good. He struggled to find consistency in his game, but that shouldn&#8217;t erase what he did in 2024.
It just put him in line with the majority of other goalies, who struggle to be consistent season after season. Outside of a handful of goalies, we&#8217;ve seen many netminders across the league struggle to maintain the same GAA, SV%, and GSAX year-by-year. Connor Hellebuyck is unreal in the regular season, but has struggled mightily in the playoffs. The Florida Panthers weren&#8217;t sure Sergei Bobrovsky was the guy to lead them to the Cup, which is why they signed Spencer Knight to a three-year deal with a $4.5 million AAV in September of 2022. They were undecided on Bobrovsky when they signed Knight, but then goalie Bob helped them to three consecutive Cup Finals and won the last two.
The goalie position is volatile, but it requires patience from the general manager, because many have moved on from a goalie before they found their consistency.
Last Wednesday, before the Oilers&#8217; season opener, I asked Stan Bowman about Skinner.
<blockquote>&#8220;There is no question, when he is on his game, his best game is really good,&#8221; said Bowman. &#8220;It is trying to find that consistency, and that is what we are hoping to tap into. He&#8217;s shown the ability to be consistent in the past, and if we see the best version of himself on a regular basis then it will be a huge boost to our team. We know he has the ability to be an elite goalie.&#8221;</blockquote>
A fair and honest assessment. Last night Skinner showed what his best game can be. He moved well, he was sound positionally for most of the game, and he made many key saves to carry the Oilers to victory. It would be foolish to expect that high level of play every night. He just needs to avoid the big dips.
I actually thought his overall play against Calgary on opening night was good. However, his controller froze on the game-tying goal. It was a brainfart, but it wasn&#8217;t a technical issue. I asked Kevin Woodley from In Goal Magazine before yesterday&#8217;s game what he saw from Skinner on opening night.
<blockquote>&#8220;I know there was a brain cramp on the giveaway on the third goal and Skinner has to own that, but I actually liked his game,&#8221; said Woodley. &#8220;Over his knees balance, how many times, even on breakaways, not splitting, not lunging, and those are the elements I will be looking for tonight in New York.  I saw some adjustments in his game that I really liked. It is the way he moves that I will be looking for, and there will be a process here.&#8221;</blockquote>
I reached out to Woodley this morning about his thoughts on Skinner&#8217;s movement last night.
<blockquote>“I just think through two games we’ve seen a better balance in his movement and set up,&#8221; said Woodley. &#8220;We saw fewer of those pitched forward or lunging awkwardly moments, and while some of that may be a predictable defensive environment in Game 1, the Rangers made him move more in his second start. It’s not perfect — and few goalies are. There was a rebound recovery early where he got up with the wrong leg and he did make a good left pad save on a net drive by Carrick, that would have been successful if it got around him because he was down and stuck with no flow, and a late reaction on another high shot off the rush that hit the post, but he’s not taking himself out of the net on rush plays and when he stays controlled and balanced, he gives himself a chance to use that big frame more effectively more often.”</blockquote>
Skinner might never be among the elite of the elite, but if he finds consistency, he can be in the upper half of the league, and he&#8217;s already proven he has the ability to play well in the playoffs, something many goalies in the NHL haven&#8217;t shown.
<hr />
<figure id="attachment_176995" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-176995" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-176995" src="http://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/USATSI_26413587-1024x683.jpg" alt="Edmonton Oilers Stuart Skinner" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/USATSI_26413587-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/USATSI_26413587-300x200.jpg 300w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/USATSI_26413587-768x512.jpg 768w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/USATSI_26413587-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/USATSI_26413587-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-176995" class="wp-caption-text">Jun 9, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner (74) stand for the National anthem prior to the first period against the Florida Panthers in game three of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure>
<hr />
<h2>MONTHLY OR QUARTERLY EVALUATION&#8230;</h2>
The proper evaluation of <a href="https://oilersnation.com/stats/goalies">Skinner</a> will be done monthly or quarterly. He will have an off-night, and there will be goals he wants back. It happens to all goalies, but the proper evaluation of Skinner, at least in my eyes, will be done in bigger samples and focus on movement. How is his balance? How much ice is he taking off rush chances? How does he move across the crease? How is his overall focus?
That&#8217;s what I will be looking for.
Through two games, his movement has been great. He hasn&#8217;t been beaten by an actual shot. The first goal he allowed went in off of Noah Philp&#8217;s skate. The second one was batted out of mid-air, and Kris Knoblauch still isn&#8217;t convinced it wasn&#8217;t a high stick, and the third goal, he just held onto the puck and didn&#8217;t move it. The good news is that, through 125 minutes of hockey, Skinner has been good positionally. He&#8217;s read the play well, and he&#8217;s made some key saves. He&#8217;s off to a very good start.
Among the 34 goalies with at least two starts, Skinner ranks fifth in save percentage at .942 and third in GAA at 1.44. It is extremely early, but he&#8217;s off to a solid start, and now he will look to maintain consistency. His save percentage will drop, and his GAA will go up, as no goalies sit at those numbers all season, or even for 20 games, but in his short career, this is the best he&#8217;s looked in his first two starts of a season.
That&#8217;s great news for Skinner and <a href="https://oilersnation.com/combinations">the Oilers</a>.
<hr />
<h2>PRESENTED BY STAR MECHANICAL</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-146181" src="http://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Article-2-SME.png" alt="" width="728" height="404" srcset="https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Article-2-SME.png 728w, https://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Article-2-SME-300x166.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 728px) 100vw, 728px" />
Star Mechanical is one of Edmonton’s biggest locally owned and operated plumbing and heating businesses. They have been working within the community for over 20 years, and many of the homes built in Edmonton over the last two decades have had their plumbing and heating systems installed by Star Mechanical.  Visit them at <a href="http://starmechanical.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://starmechanical.ca&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1707492487512000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2mVs3WUkp8iUCZ0kJRe9lJ">starmechanical.ca</a> to schedule an appointment and let them help keep your home running smoothly.

Stuart Skinner posted the eighth shutout of his career in his 170th start on Tuesday <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/stuart-skinner-shutout-trent-frederic-first-goal-jack-roslovic-spot-edmonton-oilers-lineup">against the New York Rangers</a>.

In the process, Skinner tied Bill Ranford (428 starts) and Devan Dubnyk (171 starts) for fifth on the Oilers' all-time shutout list, and he's now one behind Grant Fuhr (401 starts) for fourth. Tommy Salo holds the franchise record with 23 goose eggs in 334 starts.

Skinner stole the game <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/stuart-skinner-unbeatable-edmonton-oilers-beat-new-york-rangers-recap-highlights">in New York</a>, making many quality stops during his 30-save performance.



It was the 99th win of his career, and he will go for his 100th win on Thursday night against the New York Islanders. When he wins his next game, he'll be the sixth Oilers netminder with 100 wins. He will pass Cam Talbot (104) for fifth place later this month or early in November.

<a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/the-day-after-3-0-oilers-grind-out-greasy-win-over-rangers-to-kick-start-road-trip">During Tuesday's game</a>, the Rangers had 3.68 expected goals. They scored none. High danger chances were 10-3 in favour of New York.

https://twitter.com/VallysView/status/1978456878108532787

Skinner is often the hot topic in Oilersnation. When he has a bad game or allows a weak goal, the reaction is often rage and anger, usually 10 times higher than after a good performance. I find it fascinating how much blame one player gets when the team loses. I understand why, as it is easier to find a culprit than to feel the pain of losing. Psychologically, it makes sense. It is also fair to point out when Skinner has a bad game, but he's also had many good games, like last night and many nights in the playoffs. I don't believe a lack of skill is the issue for Skinner. He's a capable NHL goalie, and he's won big games. He's won playoff games by himself. His challenge is finding consistency, which is the challenge for 90% of the league.

The main difference between superstars and average players is usually consistency. There are many players capable of scoring a highlight reel goal, making a great defensive player, or making a huge save, but the great ones do it over and over. I don't believe the Oilers need Skinner to be great; they just need a bit more consistency, and I think he's capable of doing that.

In his 50 starts after Kris Knoblauch was hired in 2024, Skinner was excellent. He led the NHL in wins over that time with 34; he was fifth in GAA, seventh in goals saved above expected, and eighth in save percentage. In the playoffs, he had two rough outings vs. Vancouver, but in the other 21 starts, he posted a .911 save percentage and 2.21 GAA. It was his second season in the NHL, yet some will tell you he wasn't good in 2024, despite stats showing otherwise. Last season, Skinner wasn't as good. He struggled to find consistency in his game, but that shouldn't erase what he did in 2024.

It just put him in line with the majority of other goalies, who struggle to be consistent season after season. Outside of a handful of goalies, we've seen many netminders across the league struggle to maintain the same GAA, SV%, and GSAX year-by-year. Connor Hellebuyck is unreal in the regular season, but has struggled mightily in the playoffs. The Florida Panthers weren't sure Sergei Bobrovsky was the guy to lead them to the Cup, which is why they signed Spencer Knight to a three-year deal with a $4.5 million AAV in September of 2022. They were undecided on Bobrovsky when they signed Knight, but then goalie Bob helped them to three consecutive Cup Finals and won the last two.

The goalie position is volatile, but it requires patience from the general manager, because many have moved on from a goalie before they found their consistency.

Last Wednesday, before the Oilers' season opener, I asked Stan Bowman about Skinner.
<blockquote>"There is no question, when he is on his game, his best game is really good," said Bowman. "It is trying to find that consistency, and that is what we are hoping to tap into. He's shown the ability to be consistent in the past, and if we see the best version of himself on a regular basis then it will be a huge boost to our team. We know he has the ability to be an elite goalie."</blockquote>
A fair and honest assessment. Last night Skinner showed what his best game can be. He moved well, he was sound positionally for most of the game, and he made many key saves to carry the Oilers to victory. It would be foolish to expect that high level of play every night. He just needs to avoid the big dips.

I actually thought his overall play against Calgary on opening night was good. However, his controller froze on the game-tying goal. It was a brainfart, but it wasn't a technical issue. I asked Kevin Woodley from In Goal Magazine before yesterday's game what he saw from Skinner on opening night.
<blockquote>"I know there was a brain cramp on the giveaway on the third goal and Skinner has to own that, but I actually liked his game," said Woodley. "Over his knees balance, how many times, even on breakaways, not splitting, not lunging, and those are the elements I will be looking for tonight in New York.  I saw some adjustments in his game that I really liked. It is the way he moves that I will be looking for, and there will be a process here."</blockquote>
I reached out to Woodley this morning about his thoughts on Skinner's movement last night.
<blockquote>“I just think through two games we’ve seen a better balance in his movement and set up," said Woodley. "We saw fewer of those pitched forward or lunging awkwardly moments, and while some of that may be a predictable defensive environment in Game 1, the Rangers made him move more in his second start. It’s not perfect — and few goalies are. There was a rebound recovery early where he got up with the wrong leg and he did make a good left pad save on a net drive by Carrick, that would have been successful if it got around him because he was down and stuck with no flow, and a late reaction on another high shot off the rush that hit the post, but he’s not taking himself out of the net on rush plays and when he stays controlled and balanced, he gives himself a chance to use that big frame more effectively more often.”</blockquote>
Skinner might never be among the elite of the elite, but if he finds consistency, he can be in the upper half of the league, and he's already proven he has the ability to play well in the playoffs, something many goalies in the NHL haven't shown.

<hr />

[caption id="attachment_176995" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]<img class="size-large wp-image-176995" src="http://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/USATSI_26413587-1024x683.jpg" alt="Edmonton Oilers Stuart Skinner" width="1024" height="683" /> Jun 9, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner (74) stand for the National anthem prior to the first period against the Florida Panthers in game three of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images[/caption]

<hr />

<h2>MONTHLY OR QUARTERLY EVALUATION...</h2>
The proper evaluation of <a href="https://oilersnation.com/stats/goalies">Skinner</a> will be done monthly or quarterly. He will have an off-night, and there will be goals he wants back. It happens to all goalies, but the proper evaluation of Skinner, at least in my eyes, will be done in bigger samples and focus on movement. How is his balance? How much ice is he taking off rush chances? How does he move across the crease? How is his overall focus?

That's what I will be looking for.

Through two games, his movement has been great. He hasn't been beaten by an actual shot. The first goal he allowed went in off of Noah Philp's skate. The second one was batted out of mid-air, and Kris Knoblauch still isn't convinced it wasn't a high stick, and the third goal, he just held onto the puck and didn't move it. The good news is that, through 125 minutes of hockey, Skinner has been good positionally. He's read the play well, and he's made some key saves. He's off to a very good start.

Among the 34 goalies with at least two starts, Skinner ranks fifth in save percentage at .942 and third in GAA at 1.44. It is extremely early, but he's off to a solid start, and now he will look to maintain consistency. His save percentage will drop, and his GAA will go up, as no goalies sit at those numbers all season, or even for 20 games, but in his short career, this is the best he's looked in his first two starts of a season.

That's great news for Skinner and <a href="https://oilersnation.com/combinations">the Oilers</a>.

<hr />

<h2>PRESENTED BY STAR MECHANICAL</h2>
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-146181" src="http://publish.oilersnation.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Article-2-SME.png" alt="" width="728" height="404" />

Star Mechanical is one of Edmonton’s biggest locally owned and operated plumbing and heating businesses. They have been working within the community for over 20 years, and many of the homes built in Edmonton over the last two decades have had their plumbing and heating systems installed by Star Mechanical.  Visit them at <a href="http://starmechanical.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://starmechanical.ca&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1707492487512000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2mVs3WUkp8iUCZ0kJRe9lJ">starmechanical.ca</a> to schedule an appointment and let them help keep your home running smoothly.

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