Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner has had quite the up-and-down career thus far.
It's taken some time, but the Oilers' third-round pick (78th overall) from 2017 has emerged as their starting goalie over the last three seasons, though it hasn’t all been sunshine and lollipops.
Skinner’s inconsistent play has resulted in constant questions around the state of the crease in Edmonton, and speculation that an upgrade is needed. Look no further than his roller coaster ride of a 2024-25 regular season and playoffs.
Despite that, the Oilers will once again be entering a season with the hometown kid as their number one netminder, for better or for worse. Skinner spoke to the media after today’s captain's skate and shared his goals for what is poised to be a pivotal year in his career.
"I think for my goals this year, of course, I wanna set the bar high. I wanna go to the Olympics; I wanna be a goalie for Team Canada. I wanna be able to get back to the Stanley Cup and finish the job this year. And that just kind of goes back to last year. Again, another full 82 games and another four rounds under our belt to really feel it out even more and really learn from this past year. So, same with me as an individual and us as a team. And just being able to use that moving forward here, and having a good start to the season, those are the goals,” Skinner said.
"I wanna go to the Olympics... I wanna be able to get back to the Stanley Cup [Final] and finish the job this year."
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) September 4, 2025
Stuart Skinner shares his goals for the upcoming season. pic.twitter.com/flIkkqYxX9
The 26-year-old is heading into the final season of the three-year, $7.8 million contract he signed with the Oilers in 2022, potentially set to become a UFA next summer.
So much rides on 2025-26 for Skinner
It may seem like an overexaggeration, but almost everything is on the line for Stuart Skinner this upcoming season.
In a contract year on an Oilers team in the mode of Stanley Cup or bust, Skinner will need to play some of his best hockey, or his future in Edmonton could be coming to a close.
Making Team Canada's 2026 Winter Olympic team feels like a stretch, but a strong start to the season would at least put him in the conversation for one of the three openings.
There is so much that Stuart Skinner could achieve in 2025-26, though it requires a much more consistent level of play than what we've seen in recent years.