I’m curious to see what the Oilers do with Skinner and Dylan Wells. Both have one year remaining of junior eligibility. They have six goalies under contract: Cam Talbot, Mikko Koskinen, Al Montoya, Shane Starrett, Skinner and Wells. I presume they won’t resign pending UFA, Laurent Brossoit, but will qualify RFA Nick Ellis so that gives them seven goalies. I could see one of Skinner or Wells being the starter in the ECHL and the other going back to junior. You rarely want two rookie goalies on your ECHL team, especially when both are 20 years old (Skinner turns 20 on November 1st), so I’d guess one of them goes back to junior unless they make another goalie move. I’d lean towards it being Wells, considering Skinner has produced better stats in junior.
Kevin Woodley from In Goal Magazine feels there could be a market for Al Montoya, if the Oilers explore a trade. “We often see the backup carousel, and if a team doesn’t land a veteran I could see them interested in Montoya,” said Woodley. Would the Oilers be better off keeping Montoya and hope he clears waivers, instead of trading him? If Koskinen doesn’t play well, they have no other option. I think their best strategy will be to keep Montoya and hope he clears waivers.
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