Stuart Skinner Deserves More Time — Even After Oilers’ Successful ‘Panic’ Move

The Edmonton Oilers’ in-game signing of Jack Roslovic last month sent a clear message: management wasn’t waiting around this season. For goaltender Stuart Skinner, that signing might have been seen as a warning sign.

General manager Stan Bowman made the move during the home opener, saying, “He’s available now, he’s a free agent, and we can get him signed at a low amount. Instead of waiting to see what’s available later, we think he could be a nice piece to our group right now.” In some ways, while savvy, it was a bit of a panic move because Bowman was concerned he’d be kicking himself later had Roslovic been signed by someone else.

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Maybe it was a kick in the pants for Skinner to find a way to up his game. If he felt the organization was open to replacing him, the pressure to perform ramped up. It’s likely true that the margin for error has narrowed, especially when you look at how that Roslovic signing has turned out for the Oilers. Still, Skinner deserves more time.

The Quick Fix vs. The Bigger Picture

Roslovic’s addition filled a need — scoring depth, particularly in 5-v-5 situations. He brings pace, flexibility, and depth production — all things Edmonton lacked after losing key names over the summer. But Bowman’s timing, just hours into the start of the season, made the optics impossible to ignore.

Fans immediately drew a line between the two events: the signing symbolized the Oilers’ willingness to take action, while continued doubts about Skinner’s ability to get the Oilers over their playoff hump persisted.

Even in that game in which Roslovic was signed, Skinner made a mistake that led to Blake Coleman’s game-tying goal, calling it “the easiest fix I’ll make all year.” He arguably hasn’t made that same mistake since. There is more that Skinner can offer, and unlike the value Roslovic provided, an obvious upgrade on Skinner isn’t out there.

The Case for Trusting Skinner

Skinner has handled playoff pressure and the unrelenting microscope of an Edmonton hockey-mad market. For a 25-year-old, his maturity level is exceptional. Goaltending, more than any other position, demands rhythm, and when a new goaltending coach was brought in, Skinner’s rhythm was arguably disrupted. Skinner needs more runway. The Roslovic move, while aggressive, shouldn’t change the Oilers’ desire to give it to him.

The Oilers’ “act-now” philosophy works for depth players but not necessarily for key pieces like a starting goaltender. Skinner hasn’t been as good as Edmonton would like or arguably needs him to be. A reactionary move, however, may ultimately determine whether this team can get over the playoff hump.

The key for Bowman is in knowing when not to overreact.

When Is The Urgency Really Panic with Skinner?

The Oilers are right to feel a sense of urgency. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are in their prime, and the window is open now. But if this organization truly believes that finding the right fit in goal is a huge priority, jumping ship on Skinner and adding the first available goalie is not the right way to go.

Roslovic might help drive the pace up front, but the team’s heartbeat is still McDavid, Draisaitl, and guys like Ryan Nugent-Hopkins or Zach Hyman. The same logic applies to the goaltender. Skinner has earned the right to stumble a little this season until he proves, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he’s not the guy.

If the Oilers are serious about stability, it starts with trusting the guy wearing the mask — not looking for his replacement the first time the puck bounces the wrong way.

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