Edmonton Oilers
Stuart Skinner Appears to Take Subtle Jabs at Oilers and Fans
Did Stuart Skinner just subtly take a jab or two at the Edmonton Oilers and their fans?
It’s been just over a month since the Edmonton Oilers finally pulled the trigger on a trade for a goaltender, acquiring Tristan Jarry from Pittsburgh in exchange for Stuart Skinner, Brett Kulak, and a draft pick.
Time will tell whether it was the right decision by GM Stan Bowman, as Jarry has only just returned from injury with four starts as an Oilers under his belt. That being said, it certainly seems as if Skinner has enjoyed the change of scenery after years of being the whipping boy in Edmonton.
In a recent interview with Penguins reporter Kelsey Surmacz, Skinner appeared to make a few backhanded comments towards the Oilers and, particularly, the fanbase, who were often critical during his tenure playing for his hometown team.
“Yeah, it feels great. Definitely a big difference in terms of, kind of, the feelings. I think here, it’s honestly just a great feeling. I feel like everyone’s really rooting for you and is really ‘all together.’ It feels like Pittsburgh is one big family, and we’re a very united city.
But just the whole feeling around this room, it’s been nothing but positive here. It’s been really, honestly – again – just family-oriented. It’s just been really enjoyable, and I already kind of forget what it was like in Edmonton,”
The 27-year-old Skinner has gone 3-4-0 with a 2.34 goals-against average and a .899 save percentage across seven starts as a Penguin since the trade. He’s a pending UFA in the third and final season of the three-year, $7.8 million extension he signed with the Oilers back in 2022.
Stuart Skinner Has Thrived in Pittsburgh
While the numbers may not be the most eye-popping, Skinner appears to have settled into life in Pittsburgh quite nicely.
The circumstances couldn’t be more different: playing on a Penguins team that’s happy just to be in the playoff race—with anything more being a bonus—versus the Oilers, whose expectations are nothing short of winning the Stanley Cup.
Interestingly, these two teams will meet again in Edmonton next Thursday, where Skinner will likely receive a warm welcome back, despite his comments, which he surely meant no harm by.
What will be even more fascinating to see is how the remainder of the season plays out in Pittsburgh and what the future holds for Skinner, who could very well be on the move again this summer.
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