Player Discussion Skinner appreciation thread.

[DaGap]

Skinner is starting to hit his grove

 

[McFlyingV]

So nice to have goalie who plays a strong positional game but can also make quick reaction saves.

He fills a lot of net, and his lateral movement has improved a lot from his WHL and even early AHL days. He really does remind me a lot of a young Hellebuyck which I mentioned in the wpg game thread. Similar size, similar style, and entering the league at a similar age.

 

[Fourier]

If Skinner can end up being a very good NHL goalie that would be huge for this team. It would go a long ways to solving some possible cap issues for next year even if he was just a quality backup. At $750K you can't get anyone cheaper.

 

[McFlyingV]

i wonder if he can put a string of games toegther, ive always thought there was binnington possibility after he went on that 20+ game run in the AHL a couple years ago

Lets not forget his run in his draft year to the WHL finals with Lethbridge or his WHL winning run the next year in Swift Current to take them to the Mem Cup with a .932 Sv%. He's had some very nice stretches of hockey in the past, and he looks like he's improved on a lot of his weaknesses. His consistency seems to be improving which was always a knock on him, and his lateral movement has improved a lot.

 

[Evilsports]

I'm trying my best to not be too excited by Skinner's play this season, but he's making it tough.

For all the verbal about Holland needing to pickup a deadline netminder, to needing to make cap room for a true starter in the off season, to the actual acquisition costs of said starter...

I won't be the guy to jinx it, but how huge would it be if Skinner dials in his NHL game and solves every one of those problems for us?

Successful draft and development feels like found money, and I'm so unaccustomed to it as an Oilers fan! It's like getting a Christmas card from a distant relative that you've hardly even met, and having a $1000 cheque fall out of it.

 

[OilersSnowFan]

He fills a lot of net, and his lateral movement has improved a lot from his WHL and even early AHL days. He really does remind me a lot of a young Hellebuyck which I mentioned in the wpg game thread. Similar size, similar style, and entering the league at a similar age.

Great coaching by our goalie coach helped a lot

 

[Bryanbryoil]

I am so happy that he has finally been given a chance to show what he can do. Lots of people wanted us to go after high end (and priced) goalies without seeing what we have in Skinner first. If he keeps playing well, Smith is a great mentor for him and next season (assuming that Smith can stay healthy) we will have a solid tandem on the cheap which is just what the Dr. ordered since Pulju and then Bouchard will be needing a raise.

 

[snipes]

I am so happy that he has finally been given a chance to show what he can do. Lots of people wanted us to go after high end (and priced) goalies without seeing what we have in Skinner first. If he keeps playing well, Smith is a great mentor for him and next season (assuming that Smith can stay healthy) we will have a solid tandem on the cheap which is just what the Dr. ordered since Bouchard will be needing a raise.

Skinner even looks like Smiths son lol

Maybe Holland knew exactly what we had in Skinner and passing on Wallstedt makes a lot more sense especially if Bourgault becomes a top 9 player in the next couple years for us. Which is very distinct possibility, Bourgaults game and board play will translate well to the NHL.

We’ve needed to hit on a goaltender draft pick for the longest time and it looks like we may have something special with Skinner.

I remember watching him on the WHL championship run he backstopped and thinking he’d be a really goaltender for us. He came up with so many clutch saves for the Broncos when they won the WHL Championship.

Skinner has that “it” factor that’s hard to define but you know it when you see it.

 

[Trafalgar Sadge Law]

I am so happy that he has finally been given a chance to show what he can do. Lots of people wanted us to go after high end (and priced) goalies without seeing what we have in Skinner first. If he keeps playing well, Smith is a great mentor for him and next season (assuming that Smith can stay healthy) we will have a solid tandem on the cheap which is just what the Dr. ordered since Pulju and then Bouchard will be needing a raise.

I think that game from last year where he was having some "1st NHL game" nerves made people paint him in an unfair light since that's all they saw of him.

 

[Geardedandbearded]

Great coaching by our goalie coach helped a lot

I’ve been hard on him in the past so if he’s played a key role with skinner props to him

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Skinner even looks like Smiths son lol

Maybe Holland knew exactly what we had in Skinner and passing on Wallstedt makes a lot more sense especially if Bourgault becomes a top 9 player in the next couple years for us. Which is very distinct possibility, Bourgaults game and board play will translate well to the NHL.

We’ve needed to hit on a goaltender draft pick for the longest time and it looks like we may have something special with Skinner.

I remember watching him on the WHL championship run he backstopped and thinking he’d be a really goaltender for us. He came up with so many clutch saves for the Broncos when they won the WHL Championship.

Skinner has that “it” factor that’s hard to define but you know it when you see it.

He could definitely pass for Smith's boy! Both are huge guys that like to move the puck. I can't think of a better mentor for Stuart actually. I think that we would've gone for Cossa had he been available, that said, everything happens for a reason and Skinner showed a lot of growth last season and put in a lot of work this past offseason. Local kid with an opportunity to take 1 of 2 goalie spots from a guy with a foot out the door already that had a rough '20-21 season = a great opportunity for Skinner and he's making the most of it right now.

Bourgault will be a player for sure, imagine having top 6 talents in the pipeline to plug and play on their elc's, that's how you get insane depth and winning ensues.

I think that game from last year where he was having some "1st NHL game" nerves made people paint him in an unfair light since that's all they saw of him.

It was a rough outing but a valuable one for him. His save % in Bako in the regular season 0.914sv% and playoffs 0.907sv% were far from great, but the kid is a winner. 24-11-1 to be exact between his regular and postseason last year in Bako. It really looks like he has elevated his game and that his confidence is at an all time high. Hopefully he keeps it up and cements himself as one of the league's top young goalies.

 

[Trafalgar Sadge Law]

He could definitely pass for Smith's boy! Both are huge guys that like to move the puck. I can't think of a better mentor for Stuart actually. I think that we would've gone for Cossa had he been available, that said, everything happens for a reason and Skinner showed a lot of growth last season and put in a lot of work this past offseason. Local kid with an opportunity to take 1 of 2 goalie spots from a guy with a foot out the door already that had a rough '20-21 season = a great opportunity for Skinner and he's making the most of it right now.

Bourgault will be a player for sure, imagine having top 6 talents in the pipeline to plug and play on their elc's, that's how you get insane depth and winning ensues.



It was a rough outing but a valuable one for him. His save % in Bako in the regular season 0.914sv% and playoffs 0.907sv% were far from great, but the kid is a winner. 24-11-1 to be exact between his regular and postseason last year in Bako. It really looks like he has elevated his game and that his confidence is at an all time high. Hopefully he keeps it up and cements himself as one of the league's top young goalies.

AHL save percentages can be weird, it's sometimes higher for goalies b/c opposing forwards lack talent, but it can sometimes be lower b/c team has ass defensive structure. Tuuka Rask's AHL seasons were 0.905 and 0.915, and did better than that almost every year he's been a starter. Ben Bishops first FOUR AHL seasons were 0.908, 0.897, 0.901, and 0.914 and is a multi time Vezina finalist. TLDR goalie=voodoo and we need to keep whatever Shaman we've hired for Skinner behind the scenes.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

AHL save percentages can be weird, it's sometimes higher for goalies b/c opposing forwards lack talent, but it can sometimes be lower b/c team has ass defensive structure. Tuuka Rask's AHL seasons were 0.905 and 0.915, and did better than that almost every year he's been a starter. Ben Bishops first FOUR AHL seasons were 0.908, 0.897, 0.901, and 0.914 and is a multi time Vezina finalist. TLDR goalie=voodoo and we need to keep whatever Shaman we've hired for Skinner behind the scenes.

Interesting! Thanks for those stats.

 

[Stealth1616]

An Oilers drafted goalie that actually plays in the NHL and plays…. well? I didn’t know that kind of unicorn ever existed.

It’s still quite early but hopefully he continues to excel at the opportunity

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

It’s nice to have a goalie that doesn’t get scored on every time a player skates down the side of the ice and just shoots it.

 

[Ritchie Valens]

He really calmed the team down with some of those saves in tight he made early on, as I mentioned in the PGT, especially the glove save off Kane. He doesn't miss much from that spot and Skinner made a nice stop knocking the puck down. He made some others through traffic with no rebounds. That gave the team a huge injection of confidence and they took over from there.

 

[Pucklington]

He looks legit. Every stop looks controlled, and he is rarely scrambling and having to make a highlight reel save.

That is a goalie dialed in, and in good positioning.

Let him run with it and see what we have.

 

[ujju2]

Skinner said He has worked with Schwartz since he joined the AHL

He's improved quite a bit over his time in the AHL... interesting. Perhaps he's the exception to the rule when it comes to Schwartz? Or maybe our defence has been a bigger cause of our goalies' bad development than our goaltending coach. Either way glad know the chances of Skinner being "Schwartzed" are low.

 

[ujju2]

What does that say about those who came before him and after Roli.

*I still like Smith though.

Yeah. Talbot gave us a solid season, Smith gave us one and might again, but otherwise there hasn't been much to celebrate in net.

 

[Ritchie Valens]

Yeah. Talbot gave us a solid season, Smith gave us one and might again, but otherwise there hasn't been much to celebrate in net.

2 seasons of consistent, reliable goaltending out of 13-ish seasons (lockouts, etc). Yikes.

I'm really hoping that cow has finally come home to roost. ("The Naked Gun" fans will get that reference )

 

[Czechboy]

 

[McJadeddog]

If Skinner can end up being a very good NHL goalie that would be huge for this team. It would go a long ways to solving some possible cap issues for next year even if he was just a quality backup. At $750K you can't get anyone cheaper.

Yes, even if he can just be a solid backup next year, that saves us likely $500-800k on the cap for next year. It would get us through the Smith contract and then in 2023-24 we make a decision (with more data) on whether he can be the starter.

 

[Czechboy]

Don't blame Skinner! Even after last night his stats are outstanding. That was 3 PP goals against.

 

[Tw0Shoes]

Yeah. Talbot gave us a solid season, Smith gave us one and might again, but otherwise there hasn't been much to celebrate in net.

Dubnyk gave us a .916, .914, and a .921 in with guys like Foster, Potter, Fistric and Vandemeer on the back end.

 

[DaGap]

He's getting more comfortable every game.

It's too bad 1/2 our dcorp is hurt, makes it hard to get comfortable with the dman when they're on IR.