It looks like the Edmonton Oilers are going to have an interesting 2023-24 season between the pipes. Jack Campbell has probably been the best Oilers player throughout the 2023 preseason and based on his performance in September and October, and also in relief during the playoffs last spring, it appears he will legitimately push Stuart Skinner for the number one job in Edmonton. Healthy competition between goaltenders is good for everyone, and from the looks of things, the Oilers may have a positive situation with their goaltending on their hands.
Skinner Deserved the Number One Position Last Season
Let’s call it like it is. Skinner saved the season for the Oilers in 2022-23, especially when Campbell floundered early on. He played so well during the regular season that he was rewarded with a Calder Trophy finalist nomination – and deservedly so. He finished the 2022-23 season with a .914 save percentage in 50 appearances and won 29 games for the Oilers. His play tailed off slightly during the playoffs and some believed he was worn down from the amount of games and pressure he faced after taking over the number one job.
Something no one has talked about at length is that Skinner and his wife welcomed their first child last season. And, as any new dad can tell you, sometimes being a new father and waking up at 3 a.m. to help your child can wear you down a bit. It’s a big life adjustment. So Oilers fans should cut Skinner a bit of slack, especially for his performance in the playoffs where he was often left to fend for himself by a system focused on offensive production. I expect Skinner to be better this season.
Campbell Carries Momentum Into New 2023-24 Season
There were many calls from fans and pundits to start Campbell over Skinner as the Oilers got deeper in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Campbell’s game started to improve late in the 2022-23 regular season and his heroics in the Oilers’ comeback victory in Game 4 of the first round series against the Los Angeles Kings showed that he might’ve turned the corner after a disappointing start to his time in Edmonton. So far in the 2023 preseason, he has looked like a completely new goalie; focused, agile, and even appearing bigger in the net rather than how he looked at times last season when he would retreat back to his crease.
Campbell’s play has been so inspiring lately that Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft has not yet named his starter for the first game of the season on Oct. 11 against the Vancouver Canucks on the road. Needless to say, Campbell’s play late last season and now so far in the preseason has given the Oilers a boost in terms of confidence in their goaltending.
How the 2023-24 Season Could Play Out for the Oilers’ Goalies
You have to feel a bit optimistic if you’re an Oilers fan. Having two goalies who are both looking for a bit of redemption pushing each other for playing time is a good problem to have.
I’m fully expecting Skinner to be even better than he was in 2022-23. At every level that he’s played, he has continued to improve and evolve his game, and he seems unflappable mentally – which is really an ‘it’ factor for elite goalies. Former Oilers great Grant Fuhr had the ‘it’ factor. Hall of Famers Patrick Roy and Martin Brodeur had ‘it’. Even Tampa Lightning’s two-time Stanley Cup champion Andrei Vasilevskiy has ‘it’. Skinner has shown signs that he is on the way to having it as well. But let’s not put the cart before the horse here. Let’s see how the 2023-24 season plays out before Skinner is mentioned in the same breath as this group of elite goalies.
Related: Jack Campbell Shows First Signs His Game Is Back for Oilers
As for Campbell, you have to be legitimately happy for the guy. He seems like a great teammate and a genuinely likable guy. Not that it has anything to do with his play on the ice, but it definitely makes him a player you can’t help rooting for. However, it looks as though he may have turned his fortunes around with the Oilers. They were expecting big things when they signed him in the summer of 2022, and unfortunately, things didn’t pan out very well in 2022-23. Now he comes with a clean sheet, another chance to set the record straight and it looks like Campbell could very well do that. Can he do enough to take over the number-one position in Edmonton? Possibly, but a more realistic situation for the Oilers might be a 1A/1B tandem with Skinner and Campbell.
You Need Two Strong Goaltenders to Win
With the Oilers being in “win now” mode, having two goaltenders at the top of their games is definitely a win/win situation for the franchise. In the old days, you could often count on one goalie to carry you, but not in today’s bigger, faster NHL.
There’s been talk about the Oilers focusing on defence more than ever, and if the overall team commitment to cutting down scoring chances in their own end comes to fruition, the Oilers and their goaltenders might be in for a big year. But it’s an 82-game season, there will be a lot of twists and turns in the road. The Oilers and their fans are holding out hope that Skinner and Campbell can provide the kind of goaltending that leads to Stanley Cup championships. With the 2023-24 season about to start, things are looking promising in the crease for the Oilers.
