‘I want to set the bar high’: Stuart Skinner on working with new goalie coach, aiming to play for Team Canada, and more

Quietly this off-season, the dirt that Edmonton Oilers goalie coach Dustin Schwartz had on owner Daryl Katz reached its statute of limitations. The longest serving coach on the team’s staff – not an impressive boast, I grant you – was relieved of his duty.

Either that or his contract expired, and both parties felt it was time for a change.

Regardless, enter Peter Aubry, the new goalie coach in Edmonton. He worked for the Chicago Blackhawks and Rockford IceDogs from 2015-2023 and spent the past two seasons as an associate coach at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. 

Does Aubry have the power to shake the Magic 8-Ball that is Stuart Skinner and have it read back: Consistency? 

The pair seems to be starting off on the right foot. 

Skinner described “really good calls” with Aubry to begin their relationship this summer, while at a media availability on Thursday, as the Captain’s Skates continue. 

“I’ve been able to go through some of my video in the past year, past couple years honestly, and just kind of reviewing the ways that I like to play, and his thoughts on that,” Skinner explained. “And Peter, he’s been fantastic. He’s been super cool, calm, collected. He’s just been very, very easy to talk to and very easy to work with.” 

Now a veteran of 174 regular-season games and two Stanley Cup Final appearances, Skinner is about to turn 27 in November, nearing his physical prime. But transitioning to a new goalie coach will be new for him, as Schwartz’s influence extends over eight years with the Edmonton native. 

This new relationship, he says, is “everflowing.” 

“Going to Pete’s philosophies, it’s just getting in the way of the puck,” Skinner added. “He’s brought some really good points for me to think about and some stuff that we’ve been working on. That’s kind of the name of the game, just continue to work on certain things that you know you can get better [at].”  

The most penetrating uncertainty that looms over these Oilers heading into the season is consistent goaltending. Can they get enough of it at the right time to win the Stanley Cup?

It isn’t about Skinner being capable of the Oilers winning games. He is.

It’s rooting out his streaks where he’s capable of losing them games, spinning in his crease, slow to react side-to-side, and then aggressively overcommitting, all making fans shudder when any shot careens to Edmonton’s goal. 

Can he consistently be the 16th best goalie in the league, as opposed to the 7th best for a month, and the 30th best the next? 

We’ve all seen Skinner on a heater. Remember his 12-1, .948 save percentage, and 1 shutout stretch while the Oilers ragdolled competition from December 22, 2023, to February 6, 2024? 

We’ve also seen Skinner from last year’s postseason run, where Calvin Pickard stole the net, where he had more games with a sub-.900 save percentage than not, and as many shutouts as games above a .900 save percentage.  

The hardest thing about being a professional, in any discipline, is being good enough on your worst days. To be consistent at your job is the way to true success and stability. In the NHL, starting goaltenders will get pulled on occasion. The Hart Trophy winner of last year got pulled three times in the first round. 

It’s a Magic 8-Ball, and Aubry is going to be the right-hand man for Skinner, who has lofty goals for himself and the team, just like everyone else. 

“I want to set the bar high,” Skinner said. “I want to go to the Olympics. I want to be a goalie for Team Canada. I want to be able to get back to the Stanley Cup and finish the job this year. And that just kind of goes back to last year. Another full 82 games and another four rounds under our belt to really feel it out even more and really learn from this past year.”

The Oilers appear poised to go into another season with Skinner and Pickard between the pipes, but things could change quickly. Names like James Reimer, Ilya Samsonov, and Alexandar Georgiev are still free agents, and another goalie practicing in Sherwood Park will likely be available soon.

Ideally, Aubry can help Skinner flatten the curve of these streaks, so these erratic splits are smoothed. It would do wonders to ensure this isn’t a consistent talking point throughout the season. I hope to be pleasantly surprised.