When Stuart Skinner was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins six weeks ago, it wasn’t just the Oilers’ crease that felt the change. For defenseman Mattias Ekholm, the move meant saying goodbye to more than just a teammate - he lost his daily ride partner, his sounding board, and a close friend.
The two had built a routine that went beyond the rink. Living in the same neighborhood made carpooling to Rogers Place or the airport a no-brainer. But those drives became more than just a convenience - they were a space for decompressing, talking shop, or sometimes, not talking hockey at all.
“We lived in the same neighborhood so it came natural driving together,” Ekholm said Thursday morning, reminiscing as Skinner strolled by during a media scrum. “It’s a big drive here, so you get a little bit of time to talk about hockey, life in general … trying not to get too high or too low.”
“Sometimes you have a guy to air things out to, and sometimes you don’t talk about hockey at all,” he added. “We developed a really nice friendship. Yeah, I appreciate him as a person.”
The bond was on full display as Skinner, now wearing a Penguins cap instead of a mask, made his return to Rogers Place for the first time since the Dec. 12 trade that sent him to Pittsburgh. Though he wasn’t in the crease - Arthur Silovs got the start - Skinner came down early to catch up with his former teammates, lingering by the bench during the Oilers’ optional skate. There were plenty of hugs, and a little chirping too.
“Got a haircut, Ekky,” Skinner joked, pointing out his friend’s fresh trim while still rocking one of the NHL’s more impressive manes himself.
Since the trade, Skinner has quietly found his rhythm in Pittsburgh. In his last seven starts, he’s allowed just 11 goals - a stretch of play that’s helped stabilize the Penguins’ crease.
While the team has been rotating between Skinner and Silovs, the coaching staff gave Skinner back-to-back starts earlier this week, including a game in Calgary on Wednesday. That left him on the bench Thursday night in Edmonton, watching from the other side for the first time in his hometown.
It’s not the first time Skinner has faced the Oilers since the deal - he played against them in Pittsburgh shortly after the trade, a night that also happened to be Leon Draisaitl’s 1,000th career point. That evening, Skinner received a warm ovation from Oilers fans, a fitting tribute for the Sherwood Park native who came up through the system and earned his stripes in Edmonton’s net.
The trade was a whirlwind, as most are. Skinner had to wait on visa paperwork before joining the Penguins in the U.S., but he’s settled in now.
His wife and two kids arrived in Pittsburgh on Dec. 24, and Brett Kulak - who was also part of the trade - has his family there too. For Skinner, it’s starting to feel like home.
Still, coming back to Edmonton - even in a backup role - brought everything full circle.
“Just going home, seeing old teammates, going back to the building, being in that atmosphere,” Skinner said earlier in the day. “That’s the biggest thing for me, giving some hugs to the guys after the game, saying hi to some people.
Maybe I will get emotional. If it happens, it happens.”
Even without lacing up the pads at Rogers Place this time around, Skinner’s return was more than symbolic. It was a reminder of the relationships that make hockey more than just a game - and how, sometimes, the rides to the rink are just as meaningful as the games played inside it.