Oilers Now host Bob Stauffer posted that goaltender Stuart Skinner is in the mix for Team Canada at the Four Nations Cup. Citing some stats that suggest Skinner is a great pick for the squad, Stauffer wrote, “Still just 25. Works hard. Will continue to improve.”
For Oilers fans, they know just how good Skinner can be, taking the team to the Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final this past season. Unfortunately, he’s not necessarily getting the same kind of love from fans outside the Edmonton market. In fact, many believe that with Skinner in the mix, Canada’s goaltending is at a real disadvantage.
It is projected that Skinner, along with Aidan Hill of Las Vegas and Jordan Binnington of St. Louis might be the three netminder for Team Canada. Several fans have shared their frustration with the picks. One argued that Skinner’s saved goals over expected ranked 37th in the league. Noting that Stauffer was plucking certain dates to make his case that Skinner was a strong candidate, some have said the goaltender’s overall body of work isn’t up to snuff.
Why Skinner Should Be Considered for Four Nations Cup
Then again, the Four Nations Cup is a short tournament and a small sample size might matter. If Skinner, or whoever becomes the starter is hot, that’s all a loaded Team Canada roster needs. And, it’s fair to argue that Skinner — who outplayed Sergei Bobrovsky and Jake Ottenginer in the Stanley Cup playoffs — is as capable of getting hot as anyone. And when he’s hot, few are better.
Canada, the United States, Sweden and Finland will play in the tournament, scheduled for Feb. 12-20 at TD Garden in Boston and Bell Centre in Montreal. Is Team Canada’s goaltending as good the other clubs? That’s up for debate. But, can Skinner perform up to the same level as any goaltender in the tournament? He’s already shown he has in some of the NHL’s biggest games.
And, even if Skinner is not the guy, who should be? Canada’s goaltending pipeline isn’t exactly stocked with the most high-profile names these days. Even if Skinner is to one day put himself in the conversation of top Canadian goalies, people just aren’t ready to label him that yet.
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