The Edmonton Oilers squandered a 3-0 lead in their season opener against the Calgary Flames in the Battle of Alberta, falling in a shootout. While the Oilers’ defense struggled, Stuart Skinner bore the brunt of the blame for the collapse.
The netminder’s inconsistency in the crease has shown no signs of improvement, and Wednesday’s loss proved to be a breaking point for the fanbase. While the Oilers remain patient with Skinner, fans have lost confidence in their starting goaltender and are calling for a change.
What Do the Oilers Fans Think About Stuart Skinner?
Skinner’s struggles in net have been well-documented since the Oilers’ Stanley Cup Final loss to the Florida Panthers last season. Despite his inconsistent performance in that series, the Oilers showed confidence in him by keeping him as the primary starter throughout the preseason.
That confidence appears shaken after Skinner’s critical mistake on the game-tying goal on October 8. After mishandling a routine dump-in, he left the puck at his feet instead of clearing it to the corner. The error created confusion with his defensemen and allowed Blake Coleman to capitalize on the turnover.
The game went to a shootout, where Skinner struggled once again, with the Oilers losing 4-3. On the latest episode of “Oilers Nation with Bob Stauffer,” TSN’s Ryan Rishaug reported that Edmonton has begun questioning Skinner’s long-term viability as the starting goaltender.
“They’ve committed to seeing what they have here for a chunk of time with Stuart Skinner,” Rishaug reported. “If Stuart Skinner cannot handle this, he won’t be here. He will not be in the net for game one of the playoffs.”
Friday night with no hockey so I’m coming up with Oiler trade ideas:
To EDM: Merzlikins (50% retained) $2.7M AAV – 1 year remaining
To CBJ: Skinner $2.6M (UFA) & 2027 2nd rounder.
PuckPedia caculator calls for late 1st (retention) but Skinner involved drops the pick to a 2nd.— Klima’s Lid (@thackattack41) October 11, 2025
While the organization has begun evaluating its starting goaltender, fans are already proposing potential trades. One fan tweeted, “Friday night with no hockey, so I’m coming up with Oiler trade ideas: To EDM: Merzlikins (50% retained) $2.7M AAV – 1 year remaining To CBJ: Skinner $2.6M (UFA) & 2027 2nd rounder.”
According to the fan, the trade would typically require a late first-round pick for retention, but Skinner’s inclusion lowers the cost to a second-rounder.
Another fan wrote, “Here’s my goalie wishlist for the Oilers: – Cossa (DET), Daccord (SEA unlikely to move) – Saros – Swayman – Soderblom – Markstrom (if no extension) – Binnington (doubt Bowman and Armstrong would ever do a deal).”
Here’s my goalie wishlist for the Oilers:
– Cossa (DET)
– Daccord (SEA – unlikey to move)
– Saros
– Swayman
– Soderblom
– Markstrom (if no extension)
– Binnington (doubt Bowman and Armstrong would ever do a deal)— Klima’s Lid (@thackattack41) October 11, 2025
The fan identified Detroit’s Sebastien Cossa and Seattle’s Joey Daccord as preferred replacements for Skinner. He also mentioned St. Louis Blues netminder Jordan Binnington, but expressed doubt that Bowman would complete a trade with Blues GM Doug Armstrong.
no chance on Markstrom trade possibility with his history in Calg vs Oilers https://t.co/LJtLhoEyqz
— Jim Matheson (@jimmathesonnhl) October 11, 2025
While fans speculated about potential trades, insider Jim Matheson dismissed the possibility of acquiring Jacob Markstrom. “No chance on the Markstrom trade possibility with his history in Calgary vs. the Oilers,” he wrote.
Until Ingram gets up and running. There is a reason they brought him in. Skinner also needs a new contract so we will see how that goes
— Practiceapparel (@Practiceappare2) October 11, 2025
Other fans expressed frustration with Edmonton’s continued commitment to Skinner. “That chunk of time is long gone; call up Ingram, see if you have anything. Sooner is better; if not, gotta go after one,” one fan tweeted.
And because of that, we lost two cups, plain and simple.
— Chris Young (@Youngerngunner) October 11, 2025
Other fans blamed goaltending for the franchise’s recent championship failures. “And because of that, we lost two cups, plain and simple,” one wrote. As the Oilers prepare for tonight’s matchup against the Canucks, Skinner faces a critical test with his job security increasingly in question.
