A new chapter has begun for Stuart Skinner, but the lessons from his time with the Edmonton Oilers are still fresh.
Now with the Pittsburgh Penguins, the former Oilers netminder is reflecting on what it took, mentally and physically, to backstop a team through two straight Stanley Cup Final runs.
How Stuart Skinner Is Applying Lessons From Two Stanley Cup Runs
Skinner’s run in Edmonton was anything but ordinary. The hometown goalie helped lead the Oilers to back-to-back Finals in 2024 and 2025, both ending in losses to the Florida Panthers, but the experience shaped his growth beyond stats.
His first deep playoff run in 2023–24 marked a turning point. After a shaky start to the season, Skinner found his game during Edmonton’s remarkable 16-game win streak.
In the playoffs, he helped eliminate the Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks. Even after briefly losing the crease to Calvin Pickard in Round 2, Skinner responded by leading the Oilers past the Dallas Stars to reach the Final.
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That series against Florida became unforgettable. Down 3-0, Edmonton clawed its way back to force a Game 7 before falling just short in a 2-1 loss. Skinner finished the run with a 14-9 record, a 2.45 goals-against average, and a .901 save percentage.
Looking back, he does not just remember the games; he remembers the pressure.
“It’s hard to sleep when you’re going to Game 6, Game 7. It’s hard to go to sleep when you’re down [3-0] in the Finals,” Skinner admitted. “But really helped me learn how to deal with pressure. Really helped me learn how to not put such a burden on myself if things don’t go the way that I maybe want [them] to.”
If the first trip was about discovery, the second was about resilience. The 2024–25 playoffs proved more difficult. The Oilers leaned on a tandem approach, with Skinner struggling early against the Kings and the Vegas Golden Knights. Once again, Pickard stepped in for stretches.
Even in the Final against Florida, Skinner faced adversity; he was pulled in Games 3 and 4 before returning for a must-win Game 5. The Oilers ultimately fell in six games, and Skinner finished with a 7-6 record, a 2.99 GAA, and a .891 save percentage, though he still recorded three shutouts.
For Skinner, those moments were defining. “My second year going to the Finals was a much more difficult road,” he said. “Lost my job for a while… Just tough situations that really show you what you’re made of.”
More than anything, Skinner says those playoff runs taught him about life. “Am I going to just quit and sulk and sit around, or am I going to be resilient and keep on working,” he said. “Sometimes you want to just not get up that morning and not go to work, but you put on the work boots anyways… it’s really taught me what kind of man I am.”
It’s a mindset that now travels with him to Pittsburgh. Since joining the Pittsburgh Penguins on Dec. 12, 2025, Stuart Skinner has posted a 9-5-4 record with a 2.72 GAA and .892 save percentage, adding valuable experience from hockey’s biggest stage.
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While he did not win a Stanley Cup with the Oilers, the journey helped shape his resilience and mentality.
