Trade Buzz: Skinner Overlooked as Oilers Plan Key Extensions

As the Edmonton Oilers begin to lock in key contracts ahead of the 2025–26 season, one noticeable omission from a conversation about who gets an early deal is goaltender Stuart Skinner. During a recent episode of Oilers Now, insider Bob Stauffer listed several names the organization could extend before training camp — including Connor McDavid, Mattias Ekholm, Vasily Podkolzin, Jake Walman, and even head coach Kris Knoblauch. Skinner’s name, however, was absent.

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This exclusion is notable, especially considering the recent talk about upgrading the goaltending, trade rumors, and Skinner’s recent impact on the team’s success (or lack thereof).

The 25-year-old has played in 50 playoff games across the last three seasons and helped backstop Edmonton to back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances. On a team-friendly $2.6 million cap hit, Skinner offers tremendous value. Still, questions about his playoff consistency have led to speculation that the Oilers might pursue a more elite goaltender — even if that means moving Skinner in a trade.

New general manager Stan Bowman has reportedly been evaluating the club’s goaltending situation closely. Allan Mitchell of The Athletic recently noted that Skinner “could be involved in a trade for a goalie upgrade,” and if the Oilers pursue a legitimate No. 1 netminder, Skinner would likely be part of the return package.

Why Wouldn’t the Oilers Want to Re-Sign Skinner Anyway?

One could argue that, even if a trade were inevitable, the Oilers would be wise to sign Skinner. If they can lock him into a team-friendly deal now, he might have more value in trade. The issue might be trade provisions.

It’s unlikely that Skinner would sign an extension without some kind of trade protection. Most players get it when they sign these days. If Skinner extended, but had a clause worked in, he could gain more leverage in trade discussions. Seeing as he currently has no such protection, the Oilers could trade him anywhere they please.

There is also the concern that a new contract for Anaheim’s Lukas Dostal might have impacted Skinner’s potential contract numbers. Dostal signed a five-year deal at $6.25 million AAV, comparisons have already begun about what Skinner could command on a new contract. If he’s looking for that number, it could be a harder trade to sell to other teams.

If the Oilers want to keep Skinner, there would be no worry about the above complications. But, because they may not yet know what his future holds, signing him with the rest of the players Stauffer mentioned brings risks. If they need to trade him, the Oilers also need the fewest hurdles standing in the way.

Next: Insider: Oilers to Finalize 5 Key Extensions Within Next 4 Weeks