Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner takes action before most critical time of his career

Skinner is entering the final season of his contract with the Edmonton Oilers, and he'll be a 27 year old unrestricted free agent at the end of the year. After two down years, Skinner desperately needs to bounce back in the 2025-26 season.

Fans have spotted Stuart Skinner recently getting back onto the ice for some offseason training in Kelowna, BC. After a season where he posted an .896 save percentage in 51 games and he lost the starter's crease in the playoffs, he'll have plenty to work on.

NHL goalie analysts have previously found that Skinner has the slowest lateral movement of any goaltender in the league. Hopefully there can be some improvement through practice in that department.

However, there's a lot on the line for Skinner in the upcoming season. Last summer Skinner fired his agent and hired Ray Petkau, an agent that specializes in representing goalies.

Currently, NHL analysts project Skinner to be worth well over a $6M salary on a middle-term contract.

He has promise as a young goalie with an impressive resume of playoff experience, but the Oilers will be weary of paying Skinner that much while he's been so inconsistent.

Skinner needs to have a solid season this year to secure his next contract in the NHL, and is clearly motivated to be putting in the extra work during the offseason. Hopefully the Oilers see a large improvement from Skinner, or they'll be seeking an upgrade via trade.