Has ex-Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner finally found his groove with the Pittsburgh Penguins? The jury’s still out on that one.
Since the Oilers traded Skinner for Tristan Jarry back in December, things haven't quite gone as planned in Edmonton. Jarry was expected to take the reins as the starting goalie and bring some much-needed stability. Instead, he’s found himself as a pricey backup to Connor Ingram.
Critics have been vocal about the trade, suggesting that Skinner might have been a better fit than Jarry. So, how’s Skinner faring with the Penguins? Well, he’s actually been outperforming Jarry.
That’s not to say Skinner has been setting the world on fire since leaving Edmonton. He’s been consistent with his previous form, posting a 9-5-4 record and a .892 save percentage over 18 games.
Before the trade, Skinner’s record with the Oilers was 11-8-4 with a .891 SV%. So, he’s pretty much the same player, known for his unpredictable streaks.
Skinner had a rocky start with the Penguins, dropping his first three games. But then, he caught fire in January with an impressive 8-1-0 run, boasting a .917 SV%. Since then, he’s cooled off with a 1-1-4 record and a .885 SV%.
These hot and cold spells are something Oilers fans are all too familiar with from his time in Edmonton. Yet, from Edmonton’s perspective, the trade isn’t looking great.
Despite Skinner’s inconsistencies, he’s outshining Jarry, who currently holds a 7-6-1 record with a lackluster .855 SV% for the Oilers. According to MoneyPuck, Skinner’s goals-saved above expected (GSAx) is a solid +8.7, far surpassing Jarry’s -3.7 and Ingram’s +0.5.
This raises the question of what might have been if the Oilers had kept Skinner and paired Ingram with Calvin Pickard instead.
While Skinner may not have been the ultimate solution for Edmonton’s goaltending issues, it seems Jarry is even further from filling that role.