Stuart Skinner and Brett Kulak will make their Pittsburgh debuts against their former Oilers team on Tuesday night. Jarry aims to prove Edmonton right, while Skinner seeks to prove them wrong.
Following a holdup related to work visas, both Stuart Skinner and Brett Kulak will make their debuts for the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night, as the Pens face none other than the Edmonton Oilers. When asked about his making the start in goal against his old team, Skinner responded, “We’re very fortunate and very grateful to be in Pittsburgh... We’re ripping off the band-aid right away. Kinda like it.”
Related Story:
The Behind-the-Scenes Gamble That Had Tristan Jarry in Oilers Gear Instantly
Kulak also spoke with the media in Pittsburgh, saying, "It makes everything a little more comfortable coming here with Stuart Skinner." He added, "Right now it feels just like a normal game day…might be a little weird when I get on the ice for warmup and see them in the other side."
Speaking of the other side, Tristan Jarry will make his second start for the Oilers. He won his first start with a solid performance against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday, a high-pressure Hockey Night in Canada matchup. He was solid, in net as the Oilers walked away with a 6-3 win.
For everyone involved, the process of switching teams has been strange. Jarry talked about his excitement to join the Oilers, but also admitted he never thought he'd be leaving the Penguins.
“I always thought that I would never play for another team. I loved Pittsburgh. I loved living there. I loved the city and everything that came with putting that jersey on. It was very special to me, and it was anything and everything I could have imagined… I put my heart and soul into this team, and I hope they understand that. All I wanted to do was win in Pittsburgh, and I hope I was perceived that way,.”
For Skinner, perhaps he knew the writing was on the wall. After two failed attempts to help the Oilers win a Stanley Cup, falling short in two consecutive Final series versus the Florida Panthers, GM Stan Bowman said, “We didn’t have any negotiations yet with Stu. ...It was something we were going to assess as the year went on. That’s one of the things that was attractive about this deal was, not only that Tristan is signed but he’s signed -- in today’s marketplace and with the cap -- to a very manageable (NHL salary) cap number."
He added that the Oilers felt it was time to go a different direction. Skinner likely saw it coming.
Skinner Gets a Chance To Show The Oilers Something
The matchup will be interesting. Jarry needs to show the Oilers they made the right choice, going with him as their starter over the next three seasons. Skinner wants to show that Edmonton messed up, not having the confidence in him to be the guy.
As for Kulak, he'll likely just want to prove that throwing him in to make the math work was an oversight by the Oilers. Edmonton didn't want to get rid of Kulak, but they had little choice.
Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more. Add us to your Google News favourites, and never miss a story.