Oilers unusual decision with Stuart Skinner catches attention of insiders

After a subpar performance in Game 1, Stuart Skinner has actually turned around his game so far this season. Currently holding a .909 save percentage, he's looking more like a true starting goalie lately.

Judging the Oilers upcoming schedule, starting Pickard tonight would put him in line to start another game later this week.

Insider Jason Gregor noted this looks like the Oilers scaling back the amount of projected games played for Skinner.

It's a bit of an odd decision as Skinner has been playing well in the last week, but there could be some explanations. The Oilers may believe Skinner would have more success with a lighter workload, or just that Pickard has been successful enough to warrant more starts.

Last season Pickard finished the year with a higher save percentage than Skinner, and roster players made it clear that they believe in Pickard. He's only got an .865 save percentage so far this year, so he will need to find a way to pick up his game.

The Oilers front office seems to be taking an entirely new approach with the goaltending this year.

While they are willing to give Skinner a chance to prove himself, they also seem more willing to explore new options - which has put him on the clock.

We'll see how Calvin Pickard fares tonight on home ice against a solid young Canadiens team - and how the Oilers handle their goaltending deployment up until the trade deadline.