EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) 鈥� Watching his baby boy learn to crawl has given Stuart Skinner some perspective heading into a season where he and fellow Edmonton Oilers goalie Jack Campbell will be under the microscope.
Skinner鈥檚 son, Beau, was born in January, and the netminder said watching him grow and adapt "taught me a lot this summer.鈥�
鈥淛ust as I was going through my summer regimen of trying to get better, growing my game, Beau was trying to figure out how to crawl,鈥� Skinner said Wednesday as the Oilers opened training camp. 鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 trying to tell him how to do it. I wasn鈥檛 telling him 鈥榊ou鈥檙e doing that wrong,鈥� or 鈥榊ou鈥檙e doing this right.鈥� I was just kind of letting him adapt to crawling.
鈥淭hat might sound a little silly, but it鈥檚 kind of the same with the game," he said, according to The Canadian Press. "You just keep on going, you keep on going forward, you keep on trying to crawl, you keep on trying to stand.鈥�
Skinner took over the starting job last season after Campbell struggled early in the first year of a five-year, $25 million deal. Campbell was expected to stabilize the Oilers鈥� netminding position but it was Skinner who posted a 29-14-5 record with a .914 save percentage as he became a finalist for the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year.
Campbell finished with an .888 save percentage, about 30 points below his career average.
Things changed in the playoffs. The Oilers exited in the second round, and a lot of fingers were pointed at Skinner, who had just an .883 save percentage in the postseason and was pulled four times. In those four relief appearances, Campbell was outstanding, posting a .961 save percentage, but it wasn鈥檛 enough to dig his high-scoring team out of trouble.
鈥淚t was nice to get a taste of it, but it鈥檚 a pretty small sample,鈥� Campbell said of his improved play in the playoffs. 鈥淚鈥檓 ready to turn it into something bigger this year.鈥�
Entering this season, goaltending is the biggest question mark for the Oilers. If they stay healthy, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl could generate 300 points between them. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is coming off a 104-point campaign. The Oilers鈥� power play is the best the game has seen in a generation.
Hold the other teams to around three goals a game and the Oilers should have enough firepower to win most nights.
General manager Ken Holland said Skinner and Campbell will both be needed as the season goes on.
鈥淐oming into training camp, based on the way he finished, he鈥檚 (Skinner) probably got the leg up,鈥� said Holland of the No. 1 netminding job. 鈥淭he reality 鈥� no matter who is in net opening night 鈥� is we鈥檙e going to need both guys over 82 games. I would think, at the end of the year, one guy plays 50 and one guy plays 30. Or 45 and 35. We鈥檒l play that as we go. We鈥檙e going to need both guys, it鈥檚 really a two-goalie league."
The two have been on the ice together this month during unofficial workouts.
鈥淚鈥檝e been skating with Jack the last two weeks, he looks great,鈥� said Skinner. 鈥淲e have a good competition with each other every single day on the ice. Off the ice, we have our morning coffees and we chat about some stuff. It鈥檚 been good. Him and I have a good, tight relationship."
Campbell said he鈥檚 had to learn not be so hard on himself in goal, to not let every mistake get to him.
鈥淚鈥檝e been working hard on some things, and not beating myself up so much,鈥� he said.
That had always been the rub on him 鈥� that he cared so much, it was hard for him to do what goalies need to do when they give up a goal, and that鈥檚 forget about what just happened.
鈥淚 just learned so much last year,鈥� he said. 鈥淢y standard for myself is so much higher than that. Not to dwell on it, but so much good came from having such a tough year, as far as my growth this summer. My focus is to get back to where I know I can be at 鈥� and even elevating that from what I鈥檝e done in the past.鈥�
Skinner said they have to tune out any criticism as the Oilers try to make a run to the Stanley Cup Final.
鈥淚 think what really matters is what鈥檚 going on with me and Jack and the rest of the team. It鈥檚 a team game," he said. "For us to be a tight team and work together every single day and get better every single day, that鈥檚 the most important thing.鈥�
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