Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner reveals change to his offseason training

Stuart Skinner is changing some things up in hopes of improving his play for the Edmonton Oilers this coming season.

The 26-year-old goalie has taken a lot of flak this offseason, with many suggesting it’s time for the Oilers to go with a new man in the crease due to his inconsistencies in both the regular season and playoffs.

While Skinner has had some tough stretches in his NHL career to date, he’s also helped the Oilers advance to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals at the age of 26. Still, he understands he needs to be better and has changed up his offseason training regimen in hopes of making that happen.

“I think I got back on the ice a little too quick last summer, talking about the experience part again,” Skinner said to NHL.com’s Derek Van Diest. “Going into the season, I want to be as fresh as I can, as strong as I can.

Skinner also mentioned that he used his time off to focus on other aspects of his life, such as his family, in order to get his mind away from hockey for a brief period. That said, by the time he did return to the ice, he was more than ready.

“It was hard to stay off as long as I did, but that’s a really good sign,” Skinner said. “It means you really love the game, and I’m really excited to be back on the ice.”

Skinner, who put up a 2.81 GAA and a .896 save percentage in 51 games last season, is entering the final year of his three-year, $7.8 million deal, after which he will become a UFA.

Whether he returns to Edmonton following the conclusion of that contract will be determined largely by how he performs in 2025-26. Though many Oilers fans are doubting him right now, he has an opportunity to change public opinion if he can put together a strong season.

While his future is in question, it seems that all that’s on his mind right now is leading the Oilers to their first Stanley Cup championship since 1990.

“Absolutely, that’s what we’re going for,” Skinner stated.

The Oilers will look to start things off on the right foot as they look to get back to the Cup Final for the third consecutive year, beginning with their season opener on Oct. 8 versus the Calgary Flames.

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