The Edmonton Oilers woke up this morning and made their way to Rogers Place for medicals and fitness testing ahead of the launch of the 2025-26 season. On the tip of everyone’s tongue is the Connor McDavid situation. But what about the goaltending?
Oilers GM, Stan Bowman, addressed his feelings on the Oilers’ situation in goal. He mentioned his feelings on free agent goalie, Carter Hart, and how he’s “not looking”.
Stan Bowman on Carter Hart
GettyStan Bowman addresses the Carter Hart rumors.
The elephant in the room is the Oilers’ situation with their goaltenders. Bowman set the record straight on their goalies and the team’s approach to Hart’s availability.
“No, right now we are not looking at those types of situations,” Bowman said to the press attending the availability. “Like I referenced earlier, I like where Stu’s at with the way he trained and his outlook on the year. I think we’re going to go forward with that.”
This sounds definitive. With a refreshed Stuart Skinner combined with a new goalie coach, Bowman is willing to roll the dice on those people rather than on the prospect of bringing Hart into the fold.
Bowman is More Than Comfortable With the ‘Great Vibe’
GettyStan Bowman
Bowman was asked about what his relationship with Skinner is like heading into the new season. Specifically, what the temperature in the room is, considering that it was public knowledge that the team was looking to upgrade, potentially on Skinner himself.
“I think that’s just part of the game. Maybe it gets more attention because there are only two goalies,” Bowman revealed. “I don’t think that’s an issue, at least in my conversations with him. I just really like his attitude coming in. I think he trained hard this summer; he looks to have a refreshed approach to the year, with a new goalie coach.”
“He and Peter (Aubry) seem to have formed a bond together, just talking hockey. There’s a great vibe around that right now.”
Bowman then discussed what the Oilers have in Skinner and his current backup, Calvin Pickard.
“He’s a talented goalie, and when he’s at his best, he’s really good,” Bowman boasted. “So, if we can get the consistency in Stu’s game, and I think a new voice could help tap into that. The early returns are very positive…we’ll see where it goes. I’m optimistic.”
“This is a new year, and I don’t want to live in the past.”
“And then Pick had a great season last year. (He’s the) ultimate competitor, wins big games for us,” Bowman added. “We are always monitoring it. The goaltending position is no different than the forwards; we’re on the lookout. If there is an ability to upgrade on that, then we’ll do it.”
Stuart Skinner Fills Oilers With Optimism
“Stuart Skinner looks completely different. He looks quicker, more agile, and, when you see him up close, it’s obvious he’s dropped some weight.”
#LetsGoOilersOne of the things Bowman noted was Skinner’s training. The Oilers’ GM was on Oilers Now with Bob Stauffer on September 12, where he explained how different the team’s number one goalie has looked before training camp.
“He looks good, he looks quick on the ice,” Bowman said on Friday’s episode. “I actually saw Stu earlier this week in the kitchen before going on the ice. The first thing I noticed was that he looked thin. I said, ‘Wow, you look different.’”
“He said, ‘Yeah, I wanted to try something different, be a little bit lighter this year. I feel great.’”
Indeed, Skinner is lighter. At the time of this writing, the Oilers’ profile page for Skinner cites his weight as 230 lbs. According to the training camp roster list published on Tuesday, September 16, Skinner is now at 205 lbs.
Stuart Skinner 2024-25:
6-foot-4, 230 lbs
2025-26:
6-foot-4, 205 lbs
#LetsGoOilers
Bowman is a fan of the relationship that is forming between Skinner and Aubry. It fills the Oilers’ GM with more optimism and excitement for the season.
“And in talking to Peter Aubry, they’ve formed a really great connection. Stu and I talked about that,” Bowman revealed to Stauffer. “He’s really excited about the connection that they’ve formed over the summer. They’ve spent a lot of time with each other, talking about the game and talking about his game.”
“When you add it all up, there’s a lot of reason for excitement.”
Stan Bowman Sums up Carter Hart Rumors in 2 Words