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Rare move from Oilers coach Knoblauch hints at growing frustration with Skinner
Photo credit: USA Today Sports
The Edmonton Oilers' play has fallen into a bit of a rut recently, and one sign of some frustration may have been Coach Knoblauch making the rare decision to pull Stuart Skinner.
After the Oilers last loss to the Colorado Avalanche, Coach Knoblauch called out Skinner for poor performance costing the team - but he also sent a message with a very rare move of pulling his starter.
Oilers coach Knoblauch sent a strong message to Stuart Skinner with first pull in 53 games
The Oilers commitment to Stuart Skinner as their starter is reflected by Knoblauch's full commitment to who he puts in the crease. For 53 straight games, the Oilers haven't swapped their goalie in game other than for injury.
Bruce McCurdy of the Edmonton Journal highlighted the fact that Skinner hasn't been pulled at all this season, despite really struggling in the first period at times.
53 consecutive games in which each netminder always finished what he started - Four times, Skinner was beaten three times in the opening frame, in each case the first three goals of the game. Each time, despite the 0-3 hole, Knoblauch stuck with his #1.
- Bruce McCurdy, Edmonton Journal
- Bruce McCurdy, Edmonton Journal
For Knoblauch to deviate from what obviously was a commitment to allow Skinner to finish out games, there had to be some mounting frustration with Skinner's play.
Skinner has struggled significantly when facing top ten teams all season. Against the Colorado Avalanche, he was dismantled quickly, and Coach Knoblauch lost the trust in his starter to finish out the game.
Coach Knoblauch could be sending a message to Stuart Skinner with this rare pull, but it could also be a message to management. Knoblauch may be signalling there's an upgrade needed in net.
The Oilers have been connected to several goalies at the trade deadline, but it feels unlikely they'll actually make the move fans have wanted for years to upgrade their crease with a bona-fide starter.
More likely is that the Oilers are blowing ahead with Skinner as their unquestioned starter for another playoff run.
| POLL | ||
FEVRIER 11 | 251 ANSWERS Rare move from Oilers coach Knoblauch hints at growing frustration with Skinner Do you think Knoblauch wanted to send a message here? | ||
| Yes, to Skinner | 153 | 61 % |
| Yes, to management | 56 | 22.3 % |
| No, just a deserved pull | 42 | 16.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
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