Top NHL insider draws Mitch Marner comparison while questioning Stuart Skinner's future away from Edmonton 

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman shared honest thoughts about Stuart Skinner. He wondered if the Edmonton Oilers have lost confidence in their young goalie, who turned 27 this November. Skinner has been the Oilers' primary goalie in their previous two Stanley Cup finals runs in 2024 and 2025, both resulting in losses to the Florida Panthers.

Speaking on Friday's episode of the 32 Thoughts podcast, Friedman said the team is bad defensively, but the players may also question whether Skinner can carry them.

"The Oilers as a team just, and they are bad defensively, or are they just not confident that he's going to be able to do it for them?" Friedman said. [5:10 onwards] "It's a really tough question to ask, and you don't have to say it publicly, but you have to say it internally."

The Oilers cannot ignore the issue if they want to stay competitive.

Friedman then brought up a comparison to Mitch Marner’s time in Toronto. Marner faced constant pressure because he grew up in the city and dealt with heavy outside attention. Toronto eventually traded him to the Vegas Golden Knights in July 2025, giving him a fresh start.

Friedman said the move helped Marner because it removed the noise around him. He suggested Stuart Skinner might benefit from a similar change of environment.

"They went through this in Toronto with Marner...," Friedman said. "I know there's starting to be some talk that Skinner's an Alberta guy from St. Albert, which is just outside of Edmonton. Maybe the best thing for him is to go away from that too, and start over, start fresh. So that's the way I look at it now for the Oilers."

Skinner is from Edmonton, Alberta, and carries the weight of being a local player.

Is a Stuart Skinner trade possible this season?

Recent performance has fueled trade talk around Stuart Skinner. He was pulled from a game on Tuesday after allowing four goals on eight shots. He has an 8-7-3 record with a 3.18 goals against average and an .878 save percentage.

Some believe the Oilers will explore veteran goaltenders like Jordan Binnington or Tristan Jarry. Others argue that Skinner is a scapegoat for weak team defense.

Friedman noted that Stuart Skinner has not asked for a trade, and there is no sign he wants out. But it may be something the team needs to consider if the struggles continue.

"And you know, I don't think Skinner's asked for a trade," Friedman said. "I don't think he's asked or demanded to go or said it's time. But I think that from an organizational point of view, you have to be asking the question, if it's time for everybody involved."

The Oilers sit in an uncertain position as they approach their next game in Seattle. Management is watching the situation closely, as the future of their starting goalie remains one of their biggest questions.