"A bit worrisome": Ex-NHL goalie criticizes Stuart Skinner's goaltending ahead of Stanley Cup Final

By Ankit Kumar

Modified Jun 05, 2024 15:14 GMT

The Edmonton Oilers are ready for the Stanley Cup Finals best-of-seven series against the Florida Panthers and goaltender Stuart Skinner is a point of discussion. The young netminder has had his moments of brilliance throughout the playoffs, but his performances haven't been without criticism.

Longtime NHL goaltender and Daily Faceoff analyst Carter Hutton pointed out Skinner's tendency to struggle, especially at the start of the Vancouver series.

"You know, honestly, at times, Skinner is a bit worrisome." Hutton said, "You look at the start of that Vancouver series, and he was fighting it.

"Skinner's case is, he just, when he fights it, it's bad, right? He gets sloppy. Kind of similar to Samsonov, I think, visually, you could tell when he's off right? He's outside his post, he's chasing the game."

Hutton compared him to Ilya Samsonov and pointed out the visual cues that indicate when Skinner is struggling, such as being outside his post and chasing the play.

"Whereas when Skinner is on his game, he's big, that's when the game comes to him. I think that little reset, getting Calvin Pickard between the pipes, that helped him out a ton. This is going to be a big matchup." Hutton said.

Stuart Skinner's contributions to the Oilers' playoff run cannot be overlooked. He bounced back admirably after being pulled in a couple of games during the second round against the Canucks.

Connor McDavid praised goaltender Stuart Skinner

The 2024 Stanley Cup Final's Game 1 pits the Edmonton Oilers against the Florida Panthers on June 8. Edmonton clinched victory in the Western Conference Finals against the Dallas Stars in six games, with goaltender Stuart Skinner's stellar performance playing a big role.

Facing a barrage of shots and relentless pressure, Skinner stood tall, allowing just one goal in a 2-1 triumph in Game 6.

Captain Connor McDavid lauded Skinner's standout play, which prevented a potential Game 7 scenario.

“He was unbelievable tonight. We’re not sitting up here talking about a win if it wasn’t for him,” McDavid said “We’re on a plane for Dallas if it wasn’t for Stu.”

After 18 long years, the Oilers are in the Stanley Cup finals, this is a big moment for the team and they will want to win the championship.