Woodcroft will turn to his young goaltender in Stuart Skinner to help get the four-game road trip started the right way. The 24-year-old has been outstanding to start the 2022-23 season, sporting a sparking 2.10 goals-against average and a .944 save percentage.
The Oilers head coach has loved the growth the local product has shown on his way to being a reliable, quality NHL goaltender. However, the National Hockey League is a show-me business and Skinner will have to demonstrate he can handle the rigors of being leaned on by a club with big-time aspirations on the year.
"I've seen his maturity over the last four and a half, five years. Here is someone who was drafted and developed by our organization. I think it's an organizational win," Woodcroft said. "When your scouts identify someone, he goes through the development process, he doesn't skip steps along the way, and then he's off to a good start in his true rookie year in the NHL. I'm happy for him, I'm proud of him, but the NHL is a night in, night out basis, and we're going to need a good effort from him tonight."
The need for young players to show they can contribute at an NHL level and avoid the rookie mistakes that can cost a team a game is paramount. Coach Woodcroft has said the NHL is not a development league, it's a results league. Most rookies must earn the trust of a staff as they of through the growing pains of acclimatizing to the world's top league. Luckily for Skinner, he's already earned that trust through his shared path to the NHL with his coach.
"He has been a part of a lot of wins that I've been a part of in the American League and now in the National Hockey League. So, the trust word with Stuart Skinner, that's implicit," Woodcroft said. "I have that trust in Stew. His teammates have that trust in Stew. The organization has that trust in Stew, and that's come from him doing it right every step of the way."