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Stuart Skinner, Edmonton Oilers (Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

It’s Make-or-Break for Oilers’ Stuart Skinner

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Dale Bochon | Last updated May 12, 2025 2:40 PM ET

With news that Edmonton Oilers goaltender Calvin Pickard won’t be available for Game 4 of the Second-Round Series against the Vegas Golden Knights, the spotlight now turns to much-maligned goalie Stuart Skinner.

Will Skinner dig deep and recapture the form he showed against the Dallas Stars in the 2024 Western Conference Final or will he continue his current trend of uneven goaltending that has him sitting last among all Stanley Cup Playoff goaltenders with a 0-3 record, a 5.36 goals-against average (GAA) and a 0.817 save percentage (SV%)? While Oilers fans are hoping for the best, Golden Knights fans are likely salivating at the chance to tie the series, grab the momentum and take back home ice advantage in Edmonton.

Only Skinner Can Pull Up His Boot Straps and Come Up Big For the Oilers

The Oilers play a different game in front of Skinner than they do Pickard. The team has more confidence in Pickard, and that makes them a little looser on the ice and not gripping their sticks so tightly. Only Skinner can change that, and he has to make believers out of his team by coming up with big saves at opportune times.

The narrative (or blame) on social media after Game 3 was split between Skinner being responsible for giving up the winning goal to Reilly Smith with 0.4 seconds left in regulation by being out of position, or Leon Draisaitl, unfortunately, deflecting a puck that was going wide into his net.

Regardless, Skinner has had a string of bad luck or bad bounces, whatever you want to call it, in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, including allowing a questionable winning goal in Game 1 in the First Round to the Los Angeles Kings. Everyone, including players and coaches, wants to give Skinner the benefit of the doubt, but he must step up and show the world that he has game.

It is make-or-break time for Skinner because the Oilers were on a major heater before Pickard got hurt, going 6-0 and looking like serious Stanley Cup contenders. If Skinner can lead the Oilers to victory in Game 4, their run to the Stanley Cup Final will be looking good. If he comes up short, well, we can expect the negative voices to become a frenzied roar in Edmonton.

Oilers Management Put Their Trust in Skinner and Pickard This Season

The Oilers’ goaltending has been a hot topic all season, especially because of Skinner’s uneven play, and even sometimes Pickard’s for stretches. General manager Stan Bowman addressed the media before the March 7 trade deadline to express his confidence in his goalies and that he wasn’t going to make a move in net.

That decision has put him in the hot seat. However, Oilers fans wouldn’t be talking about Bowman’s goaltending decision had Pickard stayed healthy, but with Skinner sporting a 0-3 record and looking like he’ll have to take over this series, we have to assume that Bowman is feeling the heat. But all the talk and all the negativity will go away if Skinner steps up with some big saves at opportune times, which is exactly what Pickard has done throughout the playoffs.

Skinner iI a Good Goalie. Does He Believe it?

Skinner is just 26 years old and should have a long career ahead of him, but will it be in Edmonton? If he can somehow rediscover the form he had when he beat Jake Oettinger and the Stars in the 2024 Western Conference Final, then I expect he’ll continue his career with the Oilers. However, if he falls flat against the Golden Knights in this Second-Round series, his days are numbered in Edmonton.

There’s a good goaltender inside Skinner. Oilers fans will be hoping he steps up and shows it in Game 4 and the rest of the series against Vegas. Otherwise, it’s going to be a long summer for Skinner, management and the fans in the City of Champions.