Oilers’ Connor McDavid makes his feelings known about Stuart Skinner after trade to Penguins

The Edmonton Oilers traded goaltender Stuart Skinner to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Tristan Jarry on Friday, and Connor McDavid has shared his thoughts on the trade. The decision came after constant scrutiny over Skinner's position as the team's primary backstop. Alongside Skinner, defenseman Brett Kulak and the Oilers' 2029 2nd round pick went to Pittsburgh, with Edmonton also receiving forward Samuel Poulin.

Stuart Skinner was the 78th overall pick acquired in the third round of the 2017 NHL Draft by the Oilers. He had a rollercoaster spell in Edmonton, taking over the duties as the team's first-choice goalie from Jack Campbell in the 2022-23 season.

His playoff performances stood out for most parts, going 26-22 in 50 playoff starts in the last three seasons with a 2.88 GAA and .893 save percentage, which included two Stanley Cup Final appearances that the team lost to the Florida Panthers.

Captain Connor McDavid said that he wanted to remember the legacy left behind by his teammate. He spoke to reporters after Saturday's 6-3 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

"I think he should be remembered for, kinda leading the way to two Cup Finals," McDavid said. "Two exciting runs that he backstopped and was a good person when he was here. Always treated people well and that's important."

Skinner was more impressive in the 2023-24 playoff run, getting 14 wins with a 2.45 GAA and .901 save percentage. Last season, he was benched for Calvin Pickard in Game 3 of the Opening Round with the Oilers facing a 2-0 deficit against the Los Angeles Kings.

Skinner returned against the Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars, winning six straight games before the Panthers got the better of him for a second straight year in the Finals.

His exit comes at a time when he held an 11-8-4 record with an .891 save percentage and 2.83 GAA, but with a 3-1-1 record in his last five games for the Oilers.

Kris Knoblauch welcomes Tristan Jarry to the Oilers

Oilers general manager Stan Bowman stated that the team felt confident to bring in Tristan Jarry as their goaltender after he started the season with 9-3-1 in 13 starts. Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch relayed the same faith during his presser on Saturday while mentioning that Jarry's 16-12-6 season in 2024-25 was a minor blip in an otherwise strong career.

“Tristan is an established goaltender; he’s been in the league for a long time,” Knoblauch said. “I know last year was a little bit of a down, but looking at his track record over the years, he’s shown that he’s been very solid. We feel that we’re getting better in that area.”

Jarry got his first win for the Oilers on his debut, making 25 saves on Saturday against the Leafs. He is under club control for two and a half seasons, signed to a five-year, $26.88 million contract with a $5.38 million AAV.