Just when people thought Stuart Skinner could not possibly kick himself any harder in the foot, he came forward with a comment so outrageous that the backlash on social media has been relentless and unforgiving. The Edmonton Oilers have only recently secured a much-needed victory against the Columbus Blue Jackets, but before that, the team was handed one humiliating loss after another.
Skinner’s save percentage against the Blue Jackets was abysmal at .789, but against the Colorado Avalanche, it was an even worse .692. The goalie’s performance against the Avs was so disastrous that he was pulled in the second period, only for Calvin Pickard to take his place. Fans are quick to call for Skinner’s dismissal to begin with; his recent statement only made things worse for him.
Fans are Furious At Stuart Skinner’s Insolence as Goalie Shares Controversial Take
In Skinner’s defense, Elliotte Friedman absolved the netminder of his mammoth responsibility to point out that the team’s awful blueline corps should be held more responsible for its woes. Yet, the fact remains that Skinner could be significantly better and contribute more fruitfully to the Oilers.
So when he said that his save percentages do not matter and that, at the end of the day, it is only what the team does as a whole that counts, it was too much for the fans to take.
“Stuart Skinner told us, ‘It’s not about my save percentage…it’s about my win column…the team’s win column,'” posted Brenden Escott on his X account. Reactions from fans were swift and harsh. “Wow. Skinner can’t even hold himself accountable for his terrible play,” commented a disgruntled Oilers fan.
“And they win every game he’s above .900 so maybe it’s all about his save percentage,” commented a social media user as if reminding Skinner of the massive role he plays in every game that the Oilers play.
And they win every game he’s above .900 so maybe it’s all about his save percentage
— Jake William (@jakewilliam90) November 11, 2025
An NHL fan pointed out the lack of accountability that permeates the Oilers’ brass overall, before endorsing Skinner’s dismissal and suggesting the addition of more responsible players to the team’s roster. “This is a statement about the level of accountability on the team. No one is held accountable. Time to move out players like this and add players with it.”
Another NHL fan echoed a similar opinion about Skinner’s association with Edmonton: that it needs to be done away with immediately. “This guy needs to go. He is absolutely clueless.”
Obviously, Skinner is not the only reason why the Oilers’ last few games ended poorly, but his save percentages have been alarming overall. It goes without saying that a higher save percentage increases the team’s chances of winning, and fans would have loved to watch Skinner acknowledge his underwhelming game and gradually improve himself in the team’s interest.
