Stuart Skinner Pitched as Potential Fix for Canadiens’ Goalie Issues

There’s no sugarcoating it: the Montreal Canadiens have had major problems in net so far this season. Sam Montembeault’s struggles forced Jakub Dobes to be overworked, eventually leading to a desperation call-up of highly touted goaltending prospect Jacob Fowler. And, as they often say, if you have three goalies, it means you don’t have one.

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While the 21-year-old Fowler has shown promise through his first two NHL starts and is undoubtedly the future in goal for the Habs, he’s unlikely to be the solution for the entirety of this 2025-26 season.

Because of that, rumors have surfaced about Kent Hughes scouring the trade market for a goalie, with names like Jordan Binnington coming up as potential targets. Binnington seems unlikely given the acquisition cost, though a recently moved netminder could wind up being an option for Montreal — former Oiler, now Penguin, Stuart Skinner.

Nestor Quixtan of Heavy Sports explored the idea, noting reports that Pittsburgh GM Kyle Dubas could flip the pending UFA ahead of the trade deadline.

Quixtan wrote:

“Speaking precisely of the Penguins, the Canadiens could find help for their goalie situation in Pittsburgh. Namely, Stuart Skinner, who’s just arrived, could be a viable alternative for the Habs. The word is that the Penguins could be looking to flip Skinner if the right offer comes along. That makes sense as the Penguins have three young netminders likely ahead of Skinner in their depth chart,”

The 27-year-old Skinner is in the final season of the three-year, $7.8 million extension he signed with the Oilers back in 2022. He’s posted an 11-8-4 record with a 2.83 goals-against average, a .891 save percentage, and two shutouts across 23 starts in Edmonton this season.

Stuart Skinner Makes Some Sense for Montreal

While Pittsburgh may not be dead set on flipping Skinner as a rental ahead of the March 6 trade deadline, a desperate contender like the Canadiens could change that. If Montreal comes calling with a respectable offer, Dubas may not be able to turn it down, given his stable of young goalies in Arturs Silovs, Sergei Murashov, and Joel Blomqvist.

Quixtan mentions that acquiring Skinner won’t come cheap, but if Montreal wants to make a run this postseason, a move seems necessary — and options are limited.

His experience from back-to-back runs to the Stanley Cup Finals is exactly what the Canadiens could use in net behind a young, inexperienced group that would absolutely benefit from more stability.

Skinner is certainly a name that will continue to pop up in the rumor mill over the next few months, and as of right now, there may not be a better fit for his services than Montreal. If the Canadiens are looking for an inexpensive, short-term option and someone who has proven playoff experience, Skinner might be the guy.

Next: A Blockbuster Elias Pettersson Trade Idea Has Canadiens Fans Talking