Player Discussion Stuart Skinner

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Not worried about Skinners workload to this point. The games are spaced out really comfortably so far this month. He now gets a 3 day rest until Tuesday. After the All-Star game it starts to get a little hairy.

I’m very certain Pickard will start against either Columbus or Chicago next week.

 

[Stoneman89]

I’m very certain Pickard will start against either Columbus or Chicago next week.

Don't really care. Pickard has been playing well too. But my point remains, the schedule has been comfortable.

 

[nabob]

I think its a lot about the defensive system and also his level of confidence in himself and what was going on (the chaotic defenisve execution) in front of him.
For me its a little like trying to play a position in a team sport when you cant rely on the players around you to do their job properly. You lose the structure in your game by over compensating and then you quickly lose confidence.
Thats IMO was happening to Skinner early on. Really tough for a rookie goalie to find his game when there is chaos happening in front of him virtually every game.
I think that the coaching change (and the embarrassment of losing so badly) snapped this team to attention. Sometimes new voices make a difference too. They responded and started committing to the hard work required to play with structure. No more exiting the zone early...no more lazy backchecking and lazy line changes. It helped that both Knoblauch and Coffey tweaked a few things as well.
So IMO it had very little to do with Schwartz. He was and is just an easy target.

I agree with all of this.

I also wonder if having Campbell off the team has actually helped Stuuuu? I would imagine that the pressure Stu felt was multiplied by how poorly Campbell (the supposed starter) was playing.

Pickard hasn’t been amazing, but he’s been solid, which just having that good energy instead of incredibly negative energy is your partner probably makes it easier.

Imagine going to work every day and you’re the apprentice and your journeyman is just awful, pretty much useless in every aspect of the job. Then that guy gets skidded and replaced with another guy who isn’t the greatest, but he’s competent and you don’t have to constantly try and make up for his shortcomings like the previous guy.

 

[Trafalgar Sadge Law]

I agree with all of this.

I also wonder if having Campbell off the team has actually helped Stuuuu? I would imagine that the pressure Stu felt was multiplied by how poorly Campbell (the supposed starter) was playing.

Pickard hasn’t been amazing, but he’s been solid, which just having that good energy instead of incredibly negative energy is your partner probably makes it easier.

Imagine going to work every day and you’re the apprentice and your journeyman is just awful, pretty much useless in every aspect of the job. Then that guy gets skidded and replaced with another guy who isn’t the greatest, but he’s competent and you don’t have to constantly try and make up for his shortcomings like the previous guy.

I think getting rid of Campbell not only helped Stu but also helped the skaters. Imagine being a defenseman and knowing that every time you made a mistake the puck would end up in the back of your net, or often end up at the back of your net when you made no mistakes and a weak perimeter shot sneaks through. Hard to play with confidence when you're always second guessing. Having players like Skinner/Pickard in net instead means that while they'll let in some weak goals here and there, they will usually have your back and do their job as long as you play within the system and maintain good defensive discipline, and can sometimes bail you out if you make a mistake.

Also if you actually dig into the Woodcroft era stats, you'll see that Skinner's even strength save percentage was actually above 0.900. Not Hasek tier or anything but a reasonable enough performance at even strength. What was dragging Skinner down was a hilarious sub 0.700 PK save percentage which tends to indicate more issues than the goalie themselves. Campbell was sub 0.880 at both even strength and on the PK which tends to indicate that the goalie himself is the problem.

 

[Frank Drebin]

I was certain that Skinner did not have the skills or mobility to be an NHL goalie after watching him last playoffs. Looks like hes proving me wrong, hes' been playing very well. Still think we need a legit backup/1b in the case that he falters like he did against LA and Vegas.

 

[Stoneman89]

Skinner's improved play coincided with the team getting their head out of their ass and playing with a defensive conscience. Any loose pucks in front of him now are being swatted away or carried out of danger.

 

[PaPaDee]

Skinner has much better, but still gives up crazy rebounds. I’ve seen a few plays recently, which he should have been able to swallow up, but instead fights the puck off, putting it back into play.

Count me as one who’s interested in MAF as a 1B.

 

[yukoner88]

I agree with all of this.

I also wonder if having Campbell off the team has actually helped Stuuuu? I would imagine that the pressure Stu felt was multiplied by how poorly Campbell (the supposed starter) was playing.

Pickard hasn’t been amazing, but he’s been solid, which just having that good energy instead of incredibly negative energy is your partner probably makes it easier.

Imagine going to work every day and you’re the apprentice and your journeyman is just awful, pretty much useless in every aspect of the job. Then that guy gets skidded and replaced with another guy who isn’t the greatest, but he’s competent and you don’t have to constantly try and make up for his shortcomings like the previous guy.

The roles have been more clearly defined since Campbell has been sent down, which is probably easier on everybody.

Stu knows he's the starter and is rolling with it. Pikard knows he's the backup so he knows to be ready when he's called upon to give Stu a night off.

Hockey players have always been at their best when they know where they fit and that's what we have right now.

 

[The Panther]

I was certain that Skinner did not have the skills or mobility to be an NHL goalie after watching him last playoffs. Looks like hes proving me wrong, hes' been playing very well. Still think we need a legit backup/1b in the case that he falters like he did against LA and Vegas.

This narrative of Skinner as a total bust last playoff needs to die. Too many people have jumped on that highly exaggerated story.

Yes, he had a couple of pretty poor games vs. Vegas in round two (the Stanley Cup champs, lest we forget --- and the Oilers did better defensively against them than any other club they faced). He also had a couple of great games vs. Vegas, putting up a .968 and a .962. The Oilers were winning that series midway through game five... before it all fell apart in a game-and-a-half.

 

[SK13]

I'm still worried about him.

He has the easiest job in hockey right now. They've gotten what they've needed from him, but they haven't needed much and they'll need more against better teams in the playoffs.

 

[Frank Drebin]

This narrative of Skinner as a total bust last playoff needs to die. Too many people have jumped on that highly exaggerated story.

Yes, he had a couple of pretty poor games vs. Vegas in round two (the Stanley Cup champs, lest we forget --- and the Oilers did better defensively against them than any other club they faced). He also had a couple of great games vs. Vegas, putting up a .968 and a .962. The Oilers were winning that series midway through game five... before it all fell apart in a game-and-a-half.

It's not going to die because it's a true story.

12. playoff games last spring he started

Pulled FOUR TIMES in those 12 games.

Only 5 times did he finish with a .900 or better sv% (.917, .903, .909, .968, .962)

He also had 5 of those 12 games where he had a less than .850 % (.727, .848, .826, .818, .765)

The remaining 2 games were (.886, .893)

You tell me you expect to win playoff series when your goalie lets in 3 goals or more per 20 shots every 2 out of 5 games. It's nearly impossible.

Anyone trying to say that skinner was not horrible last spring is just trying to rewrite history.

 

[ManofSteel55]

I'm still worried about him.

He has the easiest job in hockey right now. They've gotten what they've needed from him, but they haven't needed much and they'll need more against better teams in the playoffs.

It's not like they have.been scoring at a huge pace during this winning streak.

 

[TheNumber4]

Skinner has much better, but still gives up crazy rebounds. I’ve seen a few plays recently, which he should have been able to swallow up, but instead fights the puck off, putting it back into play.

Count me as one who’s interested in MAF as a 1B.

You don’t think MAF gives up rebounds? I guarantee with an .897 he gives up plenty.

 

[TheNumber4]

I'm still worried about him.

He has the easiest job in hockey right now. They've gotten what they've needed from him, but they haven't needed much and they'll need more against better teams in the playoffs.

Yeh? Were not getting enough from him against playoff teams? Tell that to the Leaf’s (.926), Kings (.929), Rangers (.912), Canes (.974), and Jets (.962).

 

[TheNumber4]

It's not going to die because it's a true story.

12. playoff games last spring he started

Pulled FOUR TIMES in those 12 games.

Only 5 times did he finish with a .900 or better sv% (.917, .903, .909, .968, .962)

He also had 5 of those 12 games where he had a less than .850 % (.727, .848, .826, .818, .765)

The remaining 2 games were (.886, .893)

You tell me you expect to win playoff series when your goalie lets in 3 goals or more per 20 shots every 2 out of 5 games. It's nearly impossible.

Anyone trying to say that skinner was not horrible last spring is just trying to rewrite history.

“True story” until you look and understand why those GAs went in. You can say Skinner and team defence was horrible last spring though if you want a truer story.

Sorry to say it, but Woody was a fraud. His system and lack of focus on defensive details failed Skinner and the team.

 

[The Panther]

It's not going to die because it's a true story.

12. playoff games last spring he started

Pulled FOUR TIMES in those 12 games.

Only 5 times did he finish with a .900 or better sv% (.917, .903, .909, .968, .962)

He also had 5 of those 12 games where he had a less than .850 % (.727, .848, .826, .818, .765)

The remaining 2 games were (.886, .893)

You tell me you expect to win playoff series when your goalie lets in 3 goals or more per 20 shots every 2 out of 5 games. It's nearly impossible.

Anyone trying to say that skinner was not horrible last spring is just trying to rewrite history.

Sorry, but you can't just isolate single-game save percentages and then conclude that the goalie sucked.

Save percentage is mainly determined by quality of scoring chances, not by volume of shots. It's entirely possible that a goalie can post a .850 in a playoff game and be the best player on the ice.

It was fairly obvious watching Edmonton last spring that the league-average defensive game they'd been playing since January 2023 took steps backward and into "worst defence in playoffs" territory. They gave up WAY too many high-scoring chances against.

Skinner was certainly below par on a few occasions, and he was also superb on a few occasions. Mostly, he was average.

 

[jukon]

Skinner has much better, but still gives up crazy rebounds. I’ve seen a few plays recently, which he should have been able to swallow up, but instead fights the puck off, putting it back into play.

Count me as one who’s interested in MAF as a 1B.

MAF has roots in Minnesota and will not relocate. He is not chasing another cup.

 

[Yuke]

So, Fat Stu as a few have referenced him as (235 lbs?) is now listed on capfriendly as 207lbs. I highly doubt he gas dropped 28 lbs in the last couple months.
Cannot always believe what you read, can you.

 

[PSfan]

So, Fat Stu as a few have referenced him as (235 lbs?) is now listed on capfriendly as 207lbs. I highly doubt he gas dropped 28 lbs in the last couple months.
Cannot always believe what you read, can you.

Using wayback machine, looks like capfriendly has been reporting Stu's weight as 207lbs since 2018...

Nhl.com is reporting it as 230lbs last I checked...

 

[HockeyGuy1964]

Don't really care. Pickard has been playing well too. But my point remains, the schedule has been comfortable.

Yeah, I don't remember us ever having this favorable a schedule to this point in any season.

It gets tougher near the end but if Skinner keeps doing what he's been doing, we'll be fine with the back to backs & 3 games in 4 nights upcoming on our schedule.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Skinner's improved play coincided with the team getting their head out of their ass and playing with a defensive conscience. Any loose pucks in front of him now are being swatted away or carried out of danger.

This. Teams aren't even being allowed to get to those rebounds anymore, they are still happening. Playoffs is a different beast though and why we need to be seeing less of those rebounds as the compete to get to those will be much higher in playoffs. Right now the Oilers are working opponents right out of the rink.

Like Drais said "hard for the other team to score when he have the puck all the time" Drai knows whats up.

 

[guymez]

Sorry, but you can't just isolate single-game save percentages and then conclude that the goalie sucked.

Save percentage is mainly determined by quality of scoring chances, not by volume of shots. It's entirely possible that a goalie can post a .850 in a playoff game and be the best player on the ice.

It was fairly obvious watching Edmonton last spring that the league-average defensive game they'd been playing since January 2023 took steps backward and into "worst defence in playoffs" territory. They gave up WAY too many high-scoring chances against.

Skinner was certainly below par on a few occasions, and he was also superb on a few occasions. Mostly, he was average.

Good post.

That step back you described often happens when the quality of the teams gets distilled down to just SC contenders.
Thats when you really learn about the team and what their shortcomings are.

The Division final playoffs revealed that this team just wasnt ready to take the next step and IMO it was the system that failed them more than anything else. A rookie goalie was an additional problem as Skinner just didnt have the experience to better navigate the situation and I also beleive that he was overworked by Woody as well. Mental fatigue matters.
Thats why IMO Skinner was so inconsistent. Very good and then quite shakey.
He should have never been in the position as a playoff starter and Campbell shit the bed so badly that season that a game or 2 of decent goaltending wasnt enough to put the teams playoff hopes in his hands. Even if Campbell would have been lights out the Oilers system was too fatally flawed to carry the team much further than it did.

Vegas with their depth and their very good coaching exposed this team as a pretender and IMO Woody was a major part of why. The system he employed couldnt cut it and whatever in series adjustments Woody made (if he even made any at all) were not effective.
Wathcing Vegas exploit (over and over again) the Oilers system (causing Oilers players to chase shadows) and the lack of adjustments by Woody and company was very revealing.
IMO it really shortened the rope for Woody and the start of the season (when Woody tired to adjust things and failed to get the team to execute) forced the Management to make a move.

Thankfully they made an excellent move and even though Knoblauch is a rookie NHL coach he is showing that he is an excellent technical coach and that he is able to get full buy in from the players. In addition to that IMO Knoblauch has shown that he has a better 'feel' for in game adjustments than Woody had which is also really important.

The real test comes in the 2nd and 3rd rounds of the playoffs.

 

[nabob]

Anyone look at the stats for the allstar goalie selections? Basically if you’re the designated starter for a playoff team you’re an allstar. If Stu would have had a few less rough games to start the season he’d be an allstar IMO

 

[HockeyGuy1964]

Anyone look at the stats for the allstar goalie selections? Basically if you’re the designated starter for a playoff team you’re an allstar. If Stu would have had a few less rough games to start the season he’d be an allstar IMO

I'd rather the goalie on my team never set skate on an all-star arena.

 

[nabob]

I'd rather the goalie on my team never set skate on an all-star arena.

100% same.