On Facebook
On Flipboard
Despite benching, we might not have seen the last of Oilers goalkeeper
Edmonton Oilers goalkeeper Stuart Skinner's topsy-turvy 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs continued on Saturday when Oilers head coached Kris Knoblauch confirmed Calvin Pickard will start in net during a pivotal Stanley Cup Final Game 5 against the Florida Panthers.
In a postseason run that has been anything but ordinary, chances are the saga isn't over yet.
Skinner struggled in the first four games of the series, allowing an average of four goals per game and posting a 86% save percentage.
The five-year veteran was pulled during the first intermission of Game 4 after allowing three goals. During the second and third periods and overtime, Pickard had 22 saves on 23 shot attempts as Edmonton outscored Florida, 5-1, and evened the series at two games apiece.
Pickard earned the right to start Game 5, but Skinner should stay prepared.
As team captain Connor McDavid noted, the Oilers didn't do much to help Skinner.
"I don't think Stu was at fault for any of the goals the other night," McDavid said, per ESPN NHL reporter Greg Wyshynski.
"I think it was victim of circumstance and Picks came in and gave us a chance," he added.
To McDavid's point, if the Oilers continue racking up penalties and giving the Panthers power play opportunities, Pickard could struggle just as much as Skinner.
The Panthers broke the seal in Game 4 with a 5-v-3 goal, and their second goal came following Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm's high-sticking penalty against Panthers forward Brad Marchand.
Florida had 11 power play opportunities, including one 5-v-3, in Game 3's 6-1 romp, converting three into a goal.
Edmonton's skaters didn't make Skinner's job any easier, and if they give the Panthers advantageous situations against Pickard, Florida will likely capitalize.
Knoblauch also shared the decision to bench Skinner wasn't easy based on his performances the deeper a playoff series goes.
"It's just how well he's played in the second half of a series," Knoblauch told reporters after Game 4.
"Here's a guy that's going to just continue to get better as this series goes on. Hopefully, we've got a few more games where he can stand up and play really well," Knoblauch added.
Skinner had consecutive shutouts in Games 4 and 5 of the second round against the Vegas Golden Knights. Since the start of the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs, Skinner had 15 Games 4-7 starts before his disastrous first period against the Panthers.
Per Stathead data, in those 15 previous late-series games, Skinner had a .941 save percentage, and the Oilers were 14-1, with their only loss in Game 7 of last season's Stanley Cup Final.
More must-reads:
- Stanley Cup Final takeaways: Oilers may have shifted series with stunning comeback
- 25 great NHL teams that somehow didn't win the Stanley Cup
- The 'Last Stanley Cup Playoff shutout for each NHL franchise' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
TODAY'S BEST
Maple Leafs' Forward Trio Could Be Moved Before Next Season, Claims Insider
The Toronto Maple Leafs may not be finished reshaping their forward group. NHL insider Chris Johnston reported for The Athletic that the trio comprised of depth-forwards Nick Robertson, Calle Jarnkrok, and David Kampf, is on the trade block as the franchise continues to explore roster changes ahead of the 2025–26 season. Johnston noted that of the three, the Leafs are most reluctant to part with Robertson, who just signed a one-year, $1.825 million deal and avoided arbitration. Still just 23, Robertson’s age and goal-scoring upside keep him in Toronto’s long-term picture—for now. "With that glut of NHL-calibre players, the Leafs could still ship out one or more of David Kampf, Calle Jarnkrok or Robertson before the season begins, Johnston wrote. "However, they’ve been reluctant to part with Robertson because of his age-related upside and ability to put the puck in the net. "Just 19 players from the 2019 NHL Draft have scored more career NHL goals than the 53rd pick. And Robertson has done that while receiving depth minutes at 5-on-5 and limited power-play usage." Veterans David Kampf and Calle Jarnkrok, More Likely to Be Moved Kampf and Jarnkrok, both in their thirties, are viewed as more expendable by Johnston. Kampf has two years left on his four-year, $9.6 million deal, carrying a $2.4 million cap hit. He has been a staple of Toronto’s penalty kill for the past four years, but he only produced 13 points in 59 regular-season games last year. Jarnkrok, meanwhile, has only one year left on his contract at a $2.1 million cap hit. He has filled a middle-six role when healthy, but is coming off appearing in just 19 games last season and scoring a meager seven points. Toronto’s summer acquisitions have added competition for bottom-six spots, leaving little room for how either veteran fits the NHL roster next season. Johnston suggested the team has “tried for weeks” to move both players, and with only $1.9 million in cap space remaining, a trade could help provide flexibility for another move. Nick Robertson’s Upside Keeps Him in Play—For Now Robertson scored 15 goals in 69 games last season while averaging limited minutes. Despite trade rumors and facing questions about his fit, the Leafs still appear willing to bet on his upside. The 23-year-old forward had 22 points overall last year, and he reached a career-high figure in goals. Robertson added two points (one goal, one assist) in three Stanley Cup Playoff games as the Leafs crashed out of the postseason early once again, falling in the second round of the playoffs.
Padres already demoting one of their trade-deadline acquisitions
The Padres announced they’ve optioned JP Sears to Triple-A El Paso. They recalled reliever Sean Reynolds and will go with a nine-man bullpen in the short term. Sears will spend at least 15 days in the minors unless he’s brought up to replace a player going on the injured list. San Diego acquired Sears alongside Mason Miller in last week’s massive deadline deal. The 29-year-old southpaw made his team debut Monday night. He allowed five runs in as many innings on 10 hits and a walk against the Diamondbacks. Sears took the loss in a 6-2 defeat. He’d carried a 4.95 earned run average over 22 starts with the A’s. Monday's performance pushed his ERA to 5.12 across 116 innings. It’s a bottom-10 mark among pitchers to log at least 100 frames. Sears had the highest home run rate among that group, offsetting his nearly league-average 20.3% strikeout rate and solid 6% walk percentage. This is the first time in two-and-a-half years that Sears heads to the minors. He broke camp with the A’s in 2023 and has been in the majors since then. Sears has also avoided the injured list for that entire time. As a result, he’s tied for fifth in MLB with 87 starts since the beginning of the ’23 season. The durability is the big selling point, as his production (4.62 ERA/4.56 SIERA) over that stretch is that of a fifth or sixth starter. The demotion shouldn’t have any impact on Sears’ service trajectory. He has already surpassed the three-year mark and will qualify for arbitration next winter. He’s under team control for three seasons beyond this one. While he’ll probably be back up at some point this year, it may require an injury elsewhere in the rotation. San Diego optioned Randy Vásquez over the weekend. They have a four-man rotation of Dylan Cease, Nick Pivetta, Yu Darvish and deadline acquisition Nestor Cortes. Darvish and Cortes will get the ball for the next two outings. San Diego is off Thursday and could turn back to Pivetta and Cease on extra rest for their first two games of the weekend series against the Red Sox. That’d point to the series finale on Aug. 10 as Michael King’s return date. King threw 61 pitches in what is expected to be his final rehab start on Sunday, via the MLB.com injury tracker. He’d be on six days' rest for his first MLB appearance since he went on the injured list in late May with a nerve problem in his throwing shoulder.
Jerry Jones takes another jab at Micah Parsons over contract stalemate
The Dallas Cowboys have a big problem on their hands right now. Micah Parsons has formally requested to be traded, and he took to social media to vent his concerns and frustration with his contract extension situation. However, team owner Jerry Jones isn't ready to budge. If anything, the controversial business mogul doesn't sound too worried about that. Talking to the media, he implied that he had already shaken hands on an extension with Parsons, so he just has to wait now: "I bought the Dallas Cowboys with a handshake," Jones said, per The Athletic's Jon Machota. "It took about 30 seconds. I gave the number, shook hands, the details we worked out later." Jones, one of the most successful businessmen of his generation, pretty much stated that he wouldn't change the way he does business. "Just so you understand the way that I communicate with people that I negotiate with. Let's leave it at that," Jones continued. "There's is no question that in the case of a player contract, you have to have it in writing. All parties do. We have a contract in writing, yet we're still talking about renegotiating, so so much for that." Parsons has every right to feel frustrated. He's one of the best pass-rushers in the game, and he's the youngest in the short list of superstars at the position. The Cowboys have a long history of dragging out negotiations for as long as they can, and that's usually rubbed their players the wrong way. Parsons is still under contract, and the Cowboys can technically wait to give him an extension because the market isn't likely to go any higher after T.J. Watt already got a deal done. But sometimes, it's not just about money, and these power struggles are terrible for team morale.
Commanders offense suffers in joint practice with Patriots
The Washington Commanders gave their coaching staff a glimpse of what could be if the front office's negotiations with star wide receiver Terry McLaurin result in a trade. It wasn't good. Per Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic, McLaurin's absence crushed the Commanders' passing offense during their joint practice Wednesday with the New England Patriots. Not even newcomer Deebo Samuel could save the unit. "With Terry McLaurin and Noah Brown both out, the Commanders’ lack of receiving depth has been a glaring issue in recent practices, especially so on Wednesday," Jhabvala wrote. "Deebo Samuel, a versatile playmaker who can be a chess piece for offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, doesn’t (and shouldn’t) take on the workload expected of a leading wideout or even a No. 2. "And so far, none of the Commanders’ 10 other receivers has emerged as consistent playmakers or a reliable pass catcher capable of taking on more." Washington has to find a way to pay McLaurin soon. He's too critical to the offense and, more importantly, to the long-term development of second-year quarterback Jayden Daniels. McLaurin had his best career season in 2024, catching 82 passes for 1,096 yards and 13 touchdowns in Daniels' rookie season. He earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors for his efforts. The Commanders made aggressive moves like trading for Samuel in the offseason, not to be a No. 1 wide receiver, but to help take a team that overachieved in 2024 and get them past the Philadelphia Eagles, who knocked them out in the NFC Championship game. Washington needs McLaurin on the field to help free up its other weapons like Samuel and Austin Ekeler or last season may end up just being a fluke.
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
