Oilers’ Fan Support Could Dictate Stuart Skinner’s Season

Being a goalie in hockey is quite the thankless job. When you win games, it’s often credited to the players providing the offence, or perhaps the outstanding efforts of a defenceman. When you lose, however, the goalie is almost always the first one who fans point the finger at.

It’s of course exceptionally difficult at the NHL level, where there are an unimaginable amount of eyes on you at all times. Playing in a Canadian market, meanwhile, makes things even harder. That is something that Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner knows all too well.

Skinner has been heavily criticized during his three seasons with the Oilers, and there’s certainly validation to it. He has struggled to play at a consistent level in both the regular season and playoffs, and it’s amplified all the more by the fact that he’s playing behind what is a true Stanley Cup contender year in and year out.

To Skinner’s credit, he seems to embrace the bright lights that come with playing in a passion-filled market like Edmonton, and he does everything he can to block out outside noise, including not using or checking up on his social media. That said, no matter how hard you try, it’s impossible to fully block out the criticism in a city where hockey is the main focus. One can’t help but think the constant criticism and doubts from many can play a part in Skinner, or any goalie for that matter, falling into a rut when things go sideways.

Fans Play a Bigger Role Than Some Think

Though it is sometimes easy to forget, given that these NHL athletes often seem larger than life, they are still human at the end of the day. Nobody likes to be criticized, and while learning and excelling at hockey comes easy for them, having to deal with the pressure that comes with playing in the NHL is something all players are forced to learn how to handle on the fly.

Whether it’s fans wanting him traded, calling for Calvin Pickard to get in the net, or begging for a new goalie altogether, it’s rather obvious to see just how much weight Skinner carries on his shoulders. While other Oilers such as Evan Bouchard and Darnell Nurse take their fair share of criticism, nobody in Edmonton has had it worse in recent years than Skinner.

By all means, fans are allowed to voice their frustration with a player. They often set aside their personal time to watch their respective team(s) play, and have every right to be upset when the play isn’t up to standard. There are also plenty who spend money on the team, whether it be to attend games in person, stream them, or even buy merchandise.