Oilers Should Fire Kris Knoblauch if Stuart Skinner Starts in Round 2

Update: Pickard was in the starter’s net Monday (May. 5) morning

Now, let’s be honest, the odds of the Oilers moving away from Pickard after he helped them win the previous series are extremely low. There is no good reason to go back to Skinner after his horrible performance in the first two games, and Pickard has proved he can handle the big moments and remain calm between the pipes. It’s an unfortunate ending for Skinner, but there is no reason he should see the net again this season.

Ryan Rishaug, who is a trusted pundit, revealing that the Oilers had Skinner in the starter’s net is concerning. It’s at a point now where if head coach Kris Knoblauch decides to go back to him for the second round, he should be fired. That decision would single-handedly lose the Oilers the series against the Golden Knights, considering Skinner has been the second-worst goaltender in the entire postseason.

Knoblauch has made some questionable decisions this year. Healthy scratching Ty Emberson, not putting Jeff Skinner in a position to get comfortable and succeed, keeping Darnell Nurse and Evan Bouchard together are just a few things he’s done that have angered fans, but overall, he’s done a pretty solid job finding combinations that work. Moving back to a goaltender who doesn’t have any confidence after seeing how strong the team plays in front of Pickard would be a fireable offense, and I don’t see it happening.

The following graphic calls out Winnipeg Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck, but take a look at who is right above him.

It’s laughable that Skinner is getting any consideration to start the first game of the second round. Hopefully, the situation has just been looked into a little too much, and Pickard starts. Knoblauch likely wouldn’t risk his future in the NHL by making a mind-boggling decision like that, so I don’t think there is any reason to panic just yet.

Oilers Looking for Revenge Against Golden Knights

For three straight seasons, the Oilers have been eliminated by the eventual Stanley Cup champions, and that includes the Golden Knights, who eliminated them in 2023 and went on to win their first championship in franchise history. The Oilers will be looking for revenge as they look to pick up their first Stanley Cup victory since 1990.

The Oilers came up just short last season, losing in seven games to the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final, and have come into the new campaign hoping to do a little better than that. After making the additions and changes they needed to make in the offseason, despite losing Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg to the St. Louis Blues, they seem poised to make another deep run. After a strong season from the players and the staff, I don’t see a world where Knoblauch makes a decision that puts the Oilers’ championship hopes in the gutter.

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