Given that the Edmonton Oilers reached the Stanley Cup Finals during the 2023-24 season, their start to the new campaign has been disappointing. The Oilers have looked slow on offense, with their star players not playing up to expectations, but their biggest problem has been on defense.
They’re allowing too many goals, and many are starting to blame questionable goaltending.
Stuart Skinner has been a topic of discussion for the past couple of years, with many claiming he’s not good enough for a Stanley Cup contender—and he’s not doing much to prove the doubters wrong at the moment.
Skinner has started in net for seven games this season, currently holding a 2-4-1 record. In those games, he has allowed 23 goals, giving him a GAA of 3.51. His save percentage stands at 0.872.
READ MORE: Jets coach Scott Arniel absolutely loses it at the referees
As a goalie duo, Skinner and Calvin Pickard currently rank as the 8th-worst in the league. Now, a former NHL goalie has called out Skinner for his weak performances at the start of the season, and he didn’t mince words.
Analyst Martin Biron, a former goalie for the Philadelphia Flyers, New York Islanders, and New York Rangers, joined the TSN broadcast on Tuesday. When asked which Canadian team should be the most worried about its goaltending situation, he immediately pointed to the Oilers.
“Stuart Skinner has not looked good,” Biron said. “When I watch him, I see a goalie who’s chasing the game, who’s unbalanced—that’s overreacting to certain pucks, stabbing at them. I don’t love that in a goalie; there’s no flow to his game.”
READ MORE: Marc-Andre Fleury receives emotional gift from the Penguins
