Stuart Skinner has played three games for his new team, the Pittsburgh Penguins. The results? A .862 save percentage against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday, a .850 against the Montreal Canadiens on December 20, and a .773 save percentage against the Edmonton Oilers, his former team. 

To say the least, things have not gone well for Skinner since being dealt in a trade that also saw Brett Kulak go to the Penguins in exchange for Tristan Jarry. 

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Sadly, it appears things might only get worse, which is unfortunate for Skinner, who is about the nicest guy in the world and could stand for things to go well as a pending UFA. 

At $2.6 milllion for the rest of this season, Skinner will be heading to free agency on July 1 if the Penguins don't offer him a contract extension. It's unlikely that they do, given the fact they have four goalies in their system and he might be the player least on their radar moving forward long-term. Normally, a $2.6 million contract is an easy sell for a potential NHL starter. Sadly, the way his numbers are trending, it's hard to imagine anyone will give him an honest look. 

Despite taking the Edmonton Oilers to two Stanley Cup Final apperances, Skinner has a combined .885 save percentage this season, with a not-so-stellar 2.98 goals against average. The Penguins aren't exactly known as a defensively sound franchise and they are falling fast in the standings after getting off to a hot start. 

Goalies on teams that leak chances don't tend to fare well. Skinner, who is likely already trying to overcome a tough start and get his game mentally in order, is going to have to battle to do so while allowing multiple goals in repeated starts. He's let in 12 goals in the past three games, and teams looking for a playoff fit will see that as a huge red flag. 

It's Not Skinner's Fault

The unfortunate part about Skinner's situation is that his poor numbers are largely not his fault. In Edmonton, he was backstopping a team that didn't have it early in the season. "When you start the season the way we did, nobody's happy, nobody likes it. We've got better, we know we can be better, and we have a lot better in here," said Leon Draisaitl after the Oilers win on Tuesday over the Calgary Flames. Unfortunately, for Skinner, the Oilers are only just putting it all together after playing so poorly that the organization made a signifcant goalie change. 

"Everyone stepped up and started playing better. Now we're rolling a little better," added Draisaitl. And, Skinner is no longer around the reap the rewards. 

Instead, he's in Pittsburgh, where that franchise knows what it is. They might have foolishly believed they were a playoff team when the 2025-26 season began, but they aren't one. They're a seller in waiting. That might include Skinner. 

The question now will be, who's buying? If his numbers continue to plummet, he'll be a hard sell and his value will be as low as its ever been. Worse yet, even if he does get traded, he might not have enough time to put together solid performances and prove he's the kind of goalie a team can give a lucrative free agent contract to. 

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