Is Stuart Skinner Getting the Last Laugh With the Penguins?
Sometimes, hockey provides stories that seem almost scripted. Stuart Skinner landing in Pittsburgh and suddenly looking like he belongs there — that’s one of them. He’s found a comfortable second home.
You remember the noise when he left Edmonton. Folks said the Oilers needed a goalie “who could win now,” that Skinner wasn’t quite ready, that he’d been exposed. Folks seemed to mourn Sidney Crosby’s 'quiet exit,' thinking he’d finish his career stuck behind a roster that couldn’t keep up.
Fast Forward a Couple of Months and Look What’s Happened.
Well… fast-forward a few months, and look who’s smiling. Skinner hasn’t been perfect — no goalie ever is — but he’s settled in beautifully behind a Penguins team that has surprised just about everyone. He had a rough one in his most recent game on Tuesday against the New York Islanders. After letting in five goals, his winning streak was snapped. It happens. That’s hockey life in February. But take a step back and look at the whole picture: he’s been steady, confident, and downright calming for a team that needed exactly that.
Maybe the fresh air helped. Maybe the pressure valve got loosened. Whatever it is, Skinner looks like a guy who got his footing back.
The Penguins Are Suddenly a Team that Matters.
And the Penguins? They suddenly feel like a group that still wants to matter. They don’t look like a club trying to politely fade into retirement while Crosby and Evgeni Malkin shake hands and ride off. They look like a team that might have a little mischief left in them — the good kind.
Give Kyle Dubas credit on this one. You can say what you want about his roster moves over the years, but nabbing Skinner at the exact moment Edmonton talked themselves out of him? That might go down as one of his smoother calls. Skinner didn’t arrive as a saviour. He just arrived as a guy who could give them a chance every night. And that’s exactly what he’s done.
Around Pittsburgh, Skinner Brings a Bit More Hope and Spark.
What I like most is the feeling around the Penguins now: a little more hope, a little more spark, maybe even a sense that their old guard isn’t quite ready to hand things over. Crosby and Malkin aren’t chasing anything anymore — they’re choosing it.
Funny how fast the narrative can flip. Edmonton moved on. Pittsburgh leaned in. And Skinner, who grew up dreaming of Edmonton glory, might end up writing his best chapter somewhere he never expected. One has to feel good for him, having found a home that might prove to be more comfortable than his last one.