The Edmonton Oilers are considering trading Stuart Skinner to improve their struggling goaltending. The team's ongoing issues have persisted into the new season, prompting speculation about a significant move.
The Oilers' tandem of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard has struggled to provide consistent performance. Skinner has faced difficulties maintaining steady form, while Pickard's statistics have been among the worst in the league during the first month of the season.
"The goaltending isn’t the only issue, but it remains a significant one. Edmonton has played 14 games this season, and only four of those included one of their goaltenders posting a save percentage above .900."
Despite bringing in new goalie coach Peter Aubry over the summer, the problem persists. Rumors suggest the Oilers might consider trading Skinner for a new goalie between the pipes.
TSN’s Ryan Rishaug indicated that Edmonton might be willing to trade Skinner if it guarantees an upgrade in net. He stated:
"If a deal comes up that allows Stan Bowman to make a trade tomorrow that he knows in his gut is an upgrade in net and it involves moving on from Stuart Skinner, it’s done."
However, Rishaug also noted that such a deal might not be available at the moment:
>I don’t think that deal is gonna happen, I don’t think that deal is there to be had.
Summary: The Edmonton Oilers are contemplating trading Stuart Skinner to address ongoing goaltending struggles, with experts suggesting such a move could be made if it results in a clear upgrade.