I remember this day, this moment. It was a hot July afternoon in 2022. We were three months from knowing Jo-Anne was ill, and four months from losing her. We were just a few weeks from the arrival of my book, something I cherish even more now (Jo and I spent all of our time together when the book was being written. It was during Covid. I remember those days most fondly).
It was hot that day. You can see my gigantic forehead in the mirror (I didn’t take the photo) but you may not be able to see I’m sweating. Even with the air on (we had just come from Cobbs and were heading for Mercato) it was hot. “Close” my Dad used to say when the heat was so abundant you could feel it against your body.
If I wrote a book of lamentations, much of it would include 2022. The thing is, you don’t know what you don’t know.
I think the Oilers know now. Stan Bowman knows.
Ken Holland built his team on free agency, and in areas it didn’t work out he attempted to trade contracts that were inefficient. He bled assets in doing so, but Holland did some good things with those dollars (Zach Hyman signing, Mattias Ekholm trade) and some of those things are part of a very good hockey club in Edmonton.
Stuart Skinner was drafted by the Oilers in 2017’s third round. I don’t know and the Oilers will never say, but I think Bob Green was the driver on that selection. Green knows the WHL and that pick seemed a priority based on the post-draft verbal.
By any measure, Skinner has been a draft success. He won and held the starting job in Edmonton for three seasons, and backstopped the team to Game 7 of the SCF in 2024. He has impressive playoff experience (38 NHL games) for such a young goaltender (he is 26).
Skinner will be in a new NHL city in the fall. The Oilers will have a new goaltender to play alongside Calvin Pickard.
The terrible line changes and ghastly coverage will remain. Skinner, like Devan Dubnyk before him, will find his way.
I’ve learned a lot since 2022. One of the biggest lessons is you have to go through the darkness to find the light. I have, these 30 months later, found the light. That is my hope for Stuart Skinner.
I hold out hope for this young man, and I live for redemption stories like the one Skinner could write this evening. If I’m honest, it seems the die has been cast. Damn shame. I still believe Bob Green was right, but the script is not turning out that way, at least in Edmonton.
At noon today, the Lowdown hits on Sports 1440 radio. Rachel Doerrie and Jason Gregor will be our feature guests, and we’ll chat Oilers, NHL playoffs across the elite eight, NBA playoffs, MLB and more. I’m at Lowetide on twitter, in the comments section here and on the Sports 1440 text line at 1.833.401.1440 directly. We can be heard at sports1440.ca; iHeartRadio, Radioplayer Canada, it’s available post-show on apple and spotify, and we tweet it out on X.
New for The Athletic: Edmonton Oilers team-building: Who should receive credit for current roster?
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6347866/2025/05/12/edmonton-oilers-team-building-2025/
Stu is a foil of the team, or vice versa. Game 3 he looked beer league as the team did so sloppy, game 4 he’s perfect and looks like a top tier goaler, the team tidy and relentless. That was fun
All of this in your face Skinner haters is a bit much. I’ve been fairly vocal since G3 that I think Skinner has lost all confidence and is a liability right now. I also have a long history of associating Skinners success to the Oilers play in front of him. They are not mutually exclusive.
I’m first to admit I didn’t trust Skinner to be steady in g4, based on observation. Not hate or irrational bias.
I’m over the moon happy he had a great game. Hopefully the Oilers can reproduce this effort in front of him and help him be successful.
Agreed. I’ve been critical of the time in the game where he’s let in deflating goals against and where he just looked overwhelmed. That was a steady bit of goaltending last night. He made the saves he needed to last night and some excellent saves when we blew our coverage. The team was engaged and supporting each other. The forwards were coming back, the D made great outlet passes. Hopefully this gives Stu some major confidence going forward. If that’s the type of goalering tandem we have, it’s going to be a long run into June. We know we can win in Vegas, let’s close this out Wednesday. Happy for Skinner, he deserves the praise for his performance just as he deserves the criticism when he is poor. Go Oilers.
Just as sweet en Français:
https://youtu.be/CUa7tWgUhYc?si=waxwNaNVud4Zhl8l
So is anyone else annoyed with Holland going to the kings?
Count me as a person that is not a fan of Bowman both for history and most of the moves made by him and Jackson.
Not sure why the oilers didn’t just extend him instead.
I find it tough to criticize anything Bowman has done as GM of the Oilers except, arguably, the offer sheet non-matches (and that was a no-win situation that he did not create).
I’m happy. He will do nothing strong that isn’t completely obvious and he’ll overpay for it, will bleed their org out, and capstring them thinking he has no options as he has said, just like he did in Edmonton
I’m just worried about the implication. Why does Holland think that it’s a job worth taking? If you’re GMing in the Pacific, it’s a good time to be rebuilding, it’s not a good time to be setting your team up to run the Edmonton/ Vegas gauntlet. Maybe this is a leap and an overreaction, but what are the odds that Holland thinks that there’s a chance McDavid isn’t resigning in Edmonton?
Jake Freaking Wahlman: 15-6 even strength GF-GA ratio.
Evander The Terminator Kane: 67% xGF
Ladies and Gentlemen, this is why the Oilers are up 3-1 in round 2 of the NHL Playoffs.
Outstanding
That’s what I’m talking about.
That’s one of my favourite Oiler games of the McDrai era. Super happy for Stu.
That was an absolute beat down. Great execution.
This game certainly does not help the narrative that the Oilers play better in front of Pickard or play harder for Pickard or play differently due to no confidence in Stu, etc.
There’s some really sour winners on this forum. Look at the downvotes to people who cheer on Skinner.
Yep, better fof them to double down then admit ignorance
The super anti Skinner peeps are definitely out there. Also, there are the folks that question anyone who critiques Skinner’s play. Skinner played great tonight, he has also not played well this season. It’s also a hockey blog, that is a forum for this kind of rhetoric, and the rhetoric is the driver of said forum.
OP could post a 110% positive post(which wouldn’t be this one) and still receive down votes.
Chirps get chirped, that’s hockey talk.
Wish I had a prop bet on Kapanen being over on ice time.
That was unexpected. Fresh legs for the win.
No doubt. I was cheering for Stu and thought the Emberson/Stecher switch made sense. But I thought Kapanen for Arvidsson was a mistake. Kapanen had a heck of a game.
What a game! Troy Stetcher is an absolute beauty.
#PlayLaBambaBaby!
Damn, that was a fun game
Skinner in Game 4-7 of a playoff series is a thing.
So my guess is Skinner has been reading the comment section.
We have all seen how good his hot streaks are and we only need 9.
A very complete game from the Oilers with any Vega push-back limited to the third after the game was 3 – 0. Great game from Skinner, who looked far more comfortable this game.
And hey, three more goals without everything going through the Glimmer Twins.
Great news all around.
What a game from goalie out, everyone committed to their own role and staying in their lane. Love Nurse and Stecher together a little lower down the lineup and Kulak and Bouch played well together.
Im most happy for Stu to get a win where the team played so well in front of him.
Incredible game. 60 minute performance.
Beat Vegas at their own D game, boxing out everything.
Speed through the neutral zone.
Amazing passing efficiency.
Kapanen and Stecher playing lights out and taking key shifts in the closing minutes of the game, making coaching choices look inspired (As an aside, Kapanen officially contributed more to his team’s playoff run than Holloway).
8-0 in game 4s since 2023.
Skinner made all the saves he needed to.
Only positives! No complaints from me tonight. I have tickets for game 6 but I’d be just as happy not to go 🙂
Technically Skinner made two more saves than he needed to.
No! He made the right amount of saves! Vegas deserved no life in this game, and he ensured they weren’t given any
Well oiled machine. Holy Hannah. Between this one and game 5 in Round 1, these are some of the best games this team has pumped out in the McDavid/Drai era.
They’ve got a new gear this year. The big difference seems to be that the depth is really showing up when McDavid and Draisaitl are off the ice. If those two get it together and play like they are able to, then this team is gonna be scary.
Give Skinner a good view and limit cross passes and we’re aces! He looks as good as I’ve ever seen him, to be honest. Tracking the puck great and economical in his movement. He was dialed in from the get go and if he can keep a semblance of this game, we a golden!
Who knew we needed a rambunctious, high flying Kappy and a scrappy bulldog in Stech to even out our lineup? Honestly, I didn’t realize Kappy could play this game. It’s like getting another Podz and that’s a compliment!
Connor and Leon didn’t need to go supernova, tonight. They could focus on sound defensive work cuz the boys on the bus are getting the job done!
What a team!
#NeverInDoubt
That rivaled LA game 5 in terms of complete game.
Just incredible effort by this team tonight. Unbeatable when they play like this.
LET’S GOOOO!
WOOOOOOT!
Pure team victory. When everyone buys in they are world beaters. Blueprint is right there fellas!!
#NeverInDoubt
What a push back effort by everyone! refs making sure Oilers didn’t put game away in first. But it was a dominant game
Who would have guessed that the secret to getting a shutout was Skinner, Kapanen and Stetcher.
Troy Stecher with the 5th most 5 on 5 ice on the team……
I saw him good this game. His mobility was a huge asset in getting passed the forecheck and then making a clean pass.
Where have you been Stu!? Great to see you
That is a special F-you to all the know nothing Skinner haters.
Skinner doesn’t ‘suck’
You suck
I don’t know of many Skinner haters here. Everyone here is rooting for him to succeed.
You (very) clearly haven’t been reading the comments.
I have definitely read the comments. There is a stark difference between being concerned he’s not good enough, and hating him. Are you really suggesting that all the “haters” would be sad because he had a shutout? That’s quite absurd.
No one is suggesting his detractors are sad.
Commentors are quick to suggest he should “never play another game” after a tough loss.
Completely ignoring the poor defensive team game being played in front of him.
I stand by my statement
“Know nothing haters”
Skinner needed that, the team needed that and WE needed that!!!!!!!
The legend of G4-7 Stuart Skinner grows.
Very strong win
Kapanen, Stecher and especially Skinner, can feel good about their contributions
Huge opportunity to close this out in 5
BOOM!!! Stu with an Earned Shutout!!!
I couldn’t be more happier for him!!!
Skinner!!!
Kane!!
Henrique!
Wtg Skindog. Never in doubt.
Suck it, Skinner doubters.
Complete control – even with 97 and 29 MIA.
McDavid showed up this game, even if he didn’t score. Draisaitl is still caught out in limbo it seems
I think Stone and Eichel’s line is fantastic and perhaps they’re not getting enough credit here. They each still finished -1 tonight, and when that happens that usually means Vegas is going to lose to our depth
A perfect game!
Funny thing is, and I’d defer to the likes of Crazy Coach on this, but I’d think there are more applicable learning moments from such a victory than the previous defeat.
Thinking being, when guys are juiced up from a win they’re more receptive to constructive feedback on how to do the little things better.
What a wonderful performance by the Oilers.
But for the last 10 minutes where the Knights put on a push (that was clearly never going to be enough), the Oilers had full control of this game from start to finish – they defended VERY well during that push as well.
19 players tugging on the rope tonight!
A comprehensive beating
Play La Bamba Baby! 3-1 lead!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Calm goalie Skinner is a lot better than chaos skinner
Helps when the team in front of you is playing calm and together as well
Tip of the hat to Skinner. He should be feeling good after that win.
Oh boy, can’t remember the last time he was that good.
D zone was much less chaos which helps
Skinner better than Hill tonight = WIN! Happy for Stu. Great bounce back game!
That was it, right there – Stu could have rushed to play that puck and taken a shot.
Haha
Of note, in addition to his elite 2-way game at 5 on 5 – Bouchard led the D-group with 3:31 on the PK.
Bouchard looked excellent to my eye this game.
How much time did McDavid get on the PK? Seemed like they tried to get him out for the last 30 seconds of the PK pretty consistently
1:49 – 2nd among forwards to Janmark – wow, Janny, he was on the box for one of the penalties as well.
97 been better with backtracks tonight.
If the playoffs ended tonight, omitting Pickard, who would be the Oilers MVP?
The depth has been incredible. Brown and Kane have brought a swagger. Bouchard is playing a huge role. Perry has been a beast. The fact that 97 or 29 aren’t no brainers is pretty impressive
Lots of Kudos to go around!
Bouchard IMO
Stetcher channeling his inner Gator.
I never cared for him (probably more a product of who he used to play for), but I have grown to appreciate what he does. He’s had a great game tonight.
Kapanen been around alot of clean zone entries and chances tonight. Going to be tough to not keep him in