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The Edmonton Oilers were right to move on from Stuart Skinner after all, as the Penguins elimination proved the decision right.

The Edmonton Oilers needed to make a change in the crease this season. The pressure to finally get over the hump prompted GM Stan Bowman to pull the trigger and get a goalie.

That led to the trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins in which The Oil landed Tristan Jarry, while sending Skinner to the Penguins.

The move seemed like a logical one, even if bringing Jarry in seemed like a questionable decision. Jarry has played well enough, though not well enough to earn the full-time starter role.

But that’s a conversation for another day.

Meanwhile, Skinner’s performance in the offseason actually vindicated the Oilers’ decision to move on from their former goalie. If there was any inkling of regret in moving on from the 27-year-old Skinner, well, his performance this postseason proved Edmonton was right to trade him.

The Penguins entered their first-round series in the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs against the Philadelphia Flyers with Skinner as the starter. The Penguins got shelled in their first three games, leading to a 3-0 series deficit. The former Oiler racked up a 3.08 GAA and an .873 SV%.

Skinner lost the starting role, with Arturs Silovs taking over. Silovs nearly pulled off a remarkable comeback. In the end, the Flyers outlasted the Penguins. Silovs was brilliant in a 1-0 overtime loss in Game 6, allowing the Flyers to advance.

It’s too bad that Skinner has run into such tough luck in the postseason. But it is interesting to see that the Oilers made the right call in overhauling the goaltending tandem when they did.

Skinner Faces Offseason of Uncertainty

Skinner will now face an offseason of uncertainty. He is on track to become a UFA this summer. Given his regular-season and playoff numbers, it’s unlikely the phone will be ringing off the hook.

Sure, there will be some team out there willing to give Skinner one more kick at the NHL can. But that seemed doubtful at this point. The former Oilers third-round pick from the 2017 NHL Draft had a golden opportunity to prove he was a legit starting goalie.

It’s too bad he couldn’t capture that opportunity, as much as the Penguins wanted to give it to him.

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Oilers Overhaul in the Crease a Necessary Move

As for the Oilers’ overhaul in the crease, it was a necessary move. The organization just couldn’t roll with Skinner and Calvin Pickard for one more season. The tandem of Jarry and Connor Ingram has proven to be serviceable, if not necessarily a clear upgrade over Skinner and Pickard.

Still, Ingram has been brilliant when needed. He was rock solid in Game 5 against the Anaheim Ducks. The Oilers will need him to be money in the bank again in Game 6 as Edmonton fights to push the series to seven games.

Even if the Oilers lose on Thursday night, the eye test and the data back up the team’s decision to move on from their initial goalie tandem. It was certainly a tough call to make. But since hindsight is 20/20, it seems the organization got it right. Fans hope that the right move leads to a ticket to the second round in the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs.