Winnipeg Jets Sign Goaltender Stuart Skinner

The Winnipeg Jets announced the signing of goaltender Stuart Skinner.

Skinner, 27, was the Edmonton Oilers goaltender when the team reached back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals in 2024 and 2025.

He was traded from Edmonton to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2025-26 season. He posted a 23-17-9 record with two shutouts alongside a 2.92 goals-against average and a .888 save percentage.

The reactions from fans show the signs of the times in Winnipeg.

The contract is fair value should Winnipeg platoon Skinner and Connor Hellebuyck in a 1A/1B scenario. It does make trade talk around Hellebuyck a little more interesting, though.

Winnipeg creates flexibility in its net by bringing in Skinner, and it creates options for trade hauls for Hellebuyck not immediately needing a goaltender in return.

This is, of course, assuming Connor Hellebuyck is moved before the season starts.

What about Domenic DiVincentiis, the Manitoba Moose’s breakout goaltender in the 2026 AHL Calder Cup Playoffs? What about the other young star the Moose have in net, Thomas Milic?

It is unlikely that both will start the season in the NHL, or be in the NHL simultaneously. It shouldn’t be out of the question that Milic gets a chance to redeem himself at the NHL level, or if DiVincentiis makes his NHL debut.

Too much depth is never a bad thing, especially with goaltenders. However, Winnipeg is starting to stare at a problem they’ve had with their defense for years.

They have a pending logjam for their goaltending group, and it’s more apparent after they drafted two goaltenders in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.

Skinner is a low-risk, high-reward signing, and adding youth around Skinner in net is also low-risk, high-reward.

Whether Winnipeg runs another season of Connor Hellebuyck, or explores another veteran option to back up Stuart Skinner remains to be seen.

For now, Winnipeg has two strong veteran goaltenders who are both going to manage an 84-game workload.