The Edmonton Oilers' rookie squad was on the ice in Penticton on Saturday night as they took on the rookies of the Winnipeg Jets. The players in these games have been doing their best to stand out in hopes of cracking the NHL-level lineups of their clubs, if not immediately then at some time in the future. From that point of view, it was Stuart Skinner, the goaltender for Edmonton on Saturday night, that had the best performance. The goalie posted a clean sheet in the exhibition game, blanking the Winnipeg Jets 3-0 from southern British Columbia.
Skinner credited his teammates
Skinner spoke briefly with the media in an interview that Oilers TV published to their Youtube account. He credited the skaters in front of him and talked about his performance as well. He claimed that wearing the Oilers' jersey is "livin' the dream" and seemed satisfied with how he played in the game.
Skinner is an 18-year old player who was born in Edmonton. His most recent club affiliations have been with the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the WHL, a team based in the far south of Alberta. He has been with that club since the 2013/14 season. Last year he appeared in 60 games and posted a 3.26 goals-against average.
Skinner had 26 saves in the exhibition game against the Winnipeg rookies.
That included a stunning sliding save that appeared destined for the back of the net, one that helped Skinner preserve the shutout victory for his side. As of yet, he has not made it to the NHL level.
Edmonton's rookies play again on Monday
The Oilers' rookies next game will be played on Monday afternoon when they take on the prospects affiliated with the Vancouver Canucks.
If Edmonton can win that game then they would improve to 3-0 in the event. The preseason for the regular NHL-level club will start later this month with a split-squad game against the Calgary Flames on September 18th. That game may feature some of the standout players from the rookies' games.
The quickly approaching NHL season is one that is being met with great anticipation in the city of Edmonton.
For the first time in a long time, there is a feeling that the Oilers will put a very competitive team on the ice. The NHL-level team has also been working out lately with a lot of Oilers giving interview time to the local media. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Milan Lucic, and others are players that have spoken to reporters lately. There is certainly a palpable feeling in watching the interviews that those affiliated with the Edmonton franchise want to have a strong season in 2017/18.
