Jets Bolster Goaltending
Winnipeg Jets Bolster Goaltending Depth by Signing Stuart Skinner to Two-Year Contract
Key Points
Skinner was part of the trade that sent Tristan Jarry from the Penguins to the Oilers; he was acquired by Pittsburgh along with defenceman Brett Kulak and a draft pick in exchange for Jarry and Sam Poulin.
Across 53 career NHL playoff starts, Skinner is 26-25 with a 2.89 goals-against average and a .892 save percentage.
He posted a .888 save percentage over 50 games last season, split between the Edmonton Oilers and Pittsburgh Penguins.
Skinner was runner-up for the 2023 Calder Memorial Trophy and was named to the 2023 NHL All-Rookie Team, in addition to playing in the 2023 All-Star Game.
He helped backstop the Oilers to back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances in 2024 and 2025.
The Winnipeg Jets signed goaltender Stuart Skinner to a two-year, $7.5 million contract on July 1, the first day of NHL free agency, according to NHL.com. The deal carries a $3.75 million average annual value and brings a goalie with 53 career playoff starts to a franchise now openly linked to a Connor Hellebuyck trade.
Skinner, 27, posted a .888 save percentage across 50 games last season — split between the Edmonton Oilers and Pittsburgh Penguins — after being moved at the trade deadline. The Jets are his third team in as many years, ESPN reported.
Jets Signal Hellebuyck Trade With Skinner Signing
Winnipeg GM Kevin Cheveldayoff called the signing a deliberate move. "Stuart brings a wealth of playoff experience — 53 starts by age 27 is rare," he said. "He gives us flexibility in how we manage our roster moving forward." That word — flexibility — is doing heavy lifting, ESPN noted, as the Jets are actively listening to offers for Hellebuyck.
League insiders suggest a Hellebuyck trade could come before training camp in September, according to Sporting News. The Jets would not sign a goalie with Skinner's résumé just to keep him on the bench. Winnipeg has been linked to talks with the New Jersey Devils and Los Angeles Kings regarding their incumbent Vezina Trophy winner.
Skinner's Rocky Road From Edmonton to Winnipeg
Skinner was part of a blockbuster trade deadline deal in March 2026. Edmonton sent him, defenseman Brett Kulak, and a second-round pick to Pittsburgh in exchange for goaltender Tristan Jarry and forward Sam Poulin, according to Audacy. It was a stunning move for a goalie who had just backstopped the Oilers to back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances in 2024 and 2025.
Pittsburgh then declined to offer a long-term deal after Skinner struggled down the stretch. His .888 save percentage across 50 games dropped his market value from a projected $6 million per year to the $3.75 million AAV Winnipeg landed him at. For the Jets, that gap is a key part of the appeal.
A Playoff-Tested Goalie at a Backup Price Point
Skinner's career numbers tell a more encouraging story than his 2025-26 season alone. Over 224 NHL regular-season games, he carries a 2.77 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage, per NHL.com. In the playoffs, he is 26-25 in 53 starts with a 2.89 GAA and a .892 save percentage — numbers built against the best teams in the league.
He was also runner-up for the 2023 Calder Memorial Trophy, given to the league's best rookie. He made the 2023 All-Star Game and the All-Rookie Team that same year. ESPN called the deal "low-risk with massive upside," noting Winnipeg used Skinner's down year in Pittsburgh to get a Stanley Cup-tested goalie at a bargain price.
What Skinner's Two-Year Term Means for Winnipeg's Future
The two-year length is not an accident. It gives Winnipeg's top goaltending prospects — including Thomas Milic — more time to develop in the AHL without pressure. It also avoids a long-term commitment to a goalie coming off a career-low season. Skinner himself said he wants "stability and the chance to prove I'm still a frontline starter," per NHL.com.
The Jets have long leaned on elite goaltending to stay competitive. If Skinner can bounce back toward his career .902 save percentage behind Winnipeg's defensive structure, the team will have pulled off one of the shrewdest signings of the offseason. If not, a trade for a bigger name remains an option — with Skinner as a $3.75 million safety net.
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