Stuart Skinner and former coach Kris Knoblauch are still a big part of Edmonton’s main problem, and this new information should worry the Oilers.
Bruce Garrioch’s update is straightforward.
It’s expected that Skinner might get a contract worth 4 million dollars each year when free agency opens.
That’s where the discussion kicks off.
The Oilers might have moved on from Stuart Skinner, but this new news is changing talk once again.
If that’s what the market looks like, Edmonton needs to think hard. Should they really commit to Stuart Skinner for a long time at that cost?
That seems risky.
Not because Skinner isn’t valuable. He is. However, if the Oilers truly want to fix their goalie situation, this doesn’t seem like the right amount to solve the issue.
It appears more like the kind of deal that keeps the same discussions going.
Bruce Garrioch: The look ahead is that Stuart Skinner might land a deal worth 4 million dollars a year in free agency – Ottawa Citizen (5/19).
The recent news about Stuart Skinner is really shaking up the discussions around the Oilers.
That’s the main problem here.
Skinner is still linked to a lot of frustration in Edmonton because there have been too many uncertain moments in goal. And when the pressure is highest, that uncertainty gets louder.
A 4 million dollar salary is not what you pay a backup goalie.
After being mentioned in rumors involving Pittsburgh, there’s now increasing talk that Skinner could come back to Edmonton if the market changes.
That’s a team showing it thinks this goalie can handle a full season and the playoffs. That’s a much bigger claim than Edmonton should feel good about making right now.
Especially after how this team keeps dealing with the same goalie problem.
The Oilers have Connor McDavid.
They also have Leon Draisaitl.
They often act like they just need one big change to make everything better.
But since the Oilers are still looking for a reliable goalie, some fans are beginning to question if this issue is really solved.
If the goalie choice is still someone fans aren’t completely confident in, making 4 million a year, what’s really different?
That’s why this news is significant.
Having Skinner at a lower salary is one thing. But Skinner on a multi-year contract for 4 million each year changes things a lot. That starts to feel like a serious long-term choice, not just being careful.
And Stan Bowman can’t afford to overlook this.
The Oilers shouldn’t just reward good performances and hope everything works out. They need to be straightforward about whether Skinner is the right goalie to fix the position or if he’s just the latest way Edmonton is trying to convince itself that everything will be fine.
That’s the gamble with this salary.
If Skinner gets 4 million for a long-term deal, some team is banking on him being more reliable than uncertain.
For the Oilers, making that gamble would seem less like making progress and more like staying in the same spot.
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