Oilers appear to be making a surprising starting goalie decision
The Edmonton Oilers might be making a surprising decision on who will start between the pipes in tonight’s season opener.
Players were on the ice in Vancouver this morning for an optional practice. According to Sportsnet’s Mark Spector, both goaltenders participated and Jack Campbell was the first to leave the ice.
Campbell first off. Looks like he starts.
— Mark Spector🇨🇦🇺🇦 (@SportsnetSpec) October 11, 2023
While first off the ice is a pretty common indicator of who will get the start, it was also noted by The Athletic’s Daniel Nugent-Bowman that Skinner stayed on the ice to get some extra reps. This is another indication that Campbell will be in the lineup.
Ekholm and Skinner are getting extra reps. They’re the last two players on the ice.
— Daniel Nugent-Bowman (@DNBsports) October 11, 2023
Campbell is coming off a rough first season in Edmonton in which he lost the starter’s job to rookie Stuart Skinner. He struggled to find consistency and, although he had a record of 21-9-4, his .888 save percentage was among the worst in the league.
However, it seems that the veteran has come into this season with a chip on his shoulder. He had a wonderful camp and put up a perfect 3-0-0 record in preseason with a sparkling .971 save percentage.
On the other hand, Skinner has shown a few cracks in his game dating back to the playoffs. The rookie goaltender was a bit shaky in his Stanley Cup playoffs debut and his preseason has been nothing special. In three games, the Calder Trophy runner-up had a record of 2-1 and a .886 save percentage.
It remains to be seen how head coach Jay Woodcroft handles the goalie workload this season. If both players are able to maintain a high quality of play, it is possible that Campbell and Skinner play roughly the same amount of games by the season’s end.
You can catch the Oilers in Vancouver at 8 pm MT on Sportsnet One.
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