The Edmonton Oilers are still searching for consistency this season. They’ve fallen to a 10-10-5 record and sit third-last in the Pacific Division after an 8-3 blowout loss to the Dallas Stars on Tuesday.
Goaltending remains one of the biggest issues, and frustration among fans has grown louder, especially toward Stuart Skinner, whose recent struggles have fueled calls for change in the crease.
How Did Stuart Skinner Respond to the Growing Criticism From Oilers Fans?
On Tuesday, Skinner was pulled after giving up four goals on just eight shots in the first period against Dallas. He’s now 8-7-3 on the season with an .878 save percentage — a number well below NHL standards.
His year has been up and down, a noticeable drop from the steady play he showed during the Oilers’ back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances.
After Thursday’s practice, Skinner spoke with reporters and faced some tough questions from the Edmonton Journal’s Jim Matheson.
Matheson noted that many fans are asking for a change in net and pressed Skinner on whether such criticism affects him.
Skinner responded, saying, “That’s happened a lot here, no? It happens anywhere around the league. Goalies need to come up with big saves at big times. It’s just part of the game of being a goalie.”
He said he knowingly chose this path and understands everything that comes with being a goalie. He even joked that he’ll encourage his kids to become skaters instead of goalies.
Despite the tough line of questioning, Skinner remained upbeat, saying, “Honestly, I love it, man. It’s the best thing in the world being able to be a goalie,” and has learned a lot about character by working through difficult stretches.
On his performance, he acknowledged that the results haven’t been favorable. “Personally, I’ve been doing my best to show up consistently. Results will say that it hasn’t gone our way, it hasn’t been very favourable but that’s life, isn’t it?” Skinner said.
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Matheson then pressed again, asking whether Skinner ever feels tempted to blame teammates when frustration sets in.
Skinner admitted, “That’s human nature. For anybody as a human, you want to take yourself off the hook of things. That’s the easiest thing to do when times are tough is point the finger.”
When asked once more whether he genuinely wants to be in Edmonton despite fans asking for a better goalie, Skinner said he can’t control what people say and simply focuses on what he can do.
The Oilers will look to bounce back when they face the Seattle Kraken on the road this Saturday.
I think you should have included the quote on how rude the question from the reporter actually was.