Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner is off to an inconsistent start this season, and it may be really bringing down the value of his next contract.
A few hosts on Oilers Nation were discussing their hot takes of the year, and with Stuart Skinner eligible for contract negotiations at the end of this year, they believed Skinner could secure a $9M salary.
Safe to say, Skinner doesn't look like he has a chance to pass the contract value of a goalie like Jeremy Swayman, who just signed for $8.25M for 8 years. Skinner currently is being paid only $2.6M, and his contract will expire after the 2025-26 season.
After taking the Oilers to the Cup Final and starting 109 games in two years for Edmonton, Skinner has nearly established himself as one of the league's better starting goalies. However, some concerning signs are starting to show, and Skinner is still relatively young.
There could be some worries about giving him a large contract. Skinner's save percentage has dropped year over year for two seasons, and now, he's at a lowly .883 through 10 games.
Most Oilers fans believe that Skinner will once again get back to his game and be an average goalie, which is all Edmonton needs. The trouble is right now just letting in too many easy goals, the first shot of the game - all problems with consistency. After yesterday's game, Skinner called out his teammates for their poor defensive play.
Last season, Skinner fired his agent and hired new representation that specializes in representing goalies - a self described goalie union. Skinner does still have the good overall stats of .909 save percentage on his career, and if he can keep that number up, he'll be in conversation for a major raise. Hopefully, the Oilers can keep the number under $7M.
