Edmonton Oilers fans sending Stuart Skinner well wishes after Stanley Cup Final loss
Not all Edmonton Oilers fans are putting the Stanley Cup Final loss on Stuart Skinner.
The Oilers’ starting goaltender has been a lightning rod for criticism over the past two years, particularly throughout the current season and in the playoffs. In fact, his wife, Chloe, recently revealed that she and her family have received death threats from some Oilers fans. While that is completely inexcusable, a quick glance at Skinner’s Instagram shows that he does still have some supporters in Alberta’s capital city.
Though Skinner’s last post on Instagram came over three months ago, Oilers fans have been flooding it with comments in recent days. While there are predictably some unpleasant ones, there are seemingly even more that are supporting the 26-year-old netminder.
“We love you Stu!” one user commented. “Thank you for the best playoff run! I’m so sorry it didn’t work out in the SCF but I’m grateful for all the awesome memories!”
Although Skinner didn’t have a particularly strong playoff showing overall, with a 2.99 GAA and a .889 SV percentage, placing the blame solely on him for the Cup Final results isn’t fair, as the entire Oilers team struggled against a truly elite Panthers roster. It seems that plenty of fans are understanding that he wasn’t the main culprit to blame.
“Sorry Stu, the boys didn’t show up tonight,” another user commented following the Oilers’ Game 6 loss. “Tough one.”
Several others took time to absolve him from blame and let him know just how much he means to the city of Edmonton.
skinner_74/Instagram
Perhaps the most touching comment of all came from an Oilers fan who appears fully confident his team will hoist the Cup sooner rather than later.
“Stu man ignore the hate, you have been an absolute legend, the day you hold the cup will happen. The boys wanted it to but they didn’t play as good as they could have. Head up high and just know that not everyone has the kindness to give. But you my man are going places.”
Although there are some harsh and unnecessary comments on the post, it’s good to see that many Oilers fans remain supportive of Skinner and are making a conscious effort for him to realize it.
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