Elliotte Friedman discusses recent rumors surrounding Stuart Skinner's trade request
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NHL insider Elliotte Friedman recently squashed rumors that Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner had reportedly requested a trade out of Edmonton.
Amidst ongoing speculation about the goaltending in Edmonton, some clarity has emerged around Stuart Skinner. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman touched upon the rumors that Skinner had asked for a trade. It didn't happen, he said.
"Skinner has not asked out - that did not happen," said Friedman during a Headlines segment on Saturday night's broadcast. "I think a couple people wondered if that happened this week, it did not happen."
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He credited the Oilers goalie for showing up to the team's autograph session earlier in the week when his name had been out there in rumour form.
The team has made it clear that it isn't looking to make a "lateral move" just for the sake of change. That approach aligns with comments from the front office, even as trade chatter involving Tristan Jarry and Jordan Binnington surfaced recently.
As Frank Seravalli earlier reported, Edmonton wants to give Skinner and backup Calvin Pickard additional time to prove themselves before making a move, perhaps up until the Christmas break.
The Oilers had briefly considered placing Pickard on waivers and calling up Connor Ingram during their seven-game road trip before holding off.
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Meanwhile, the market for goaltenders is slowly coming into focus. Friedman indicated the Columbus Blue Jackets, Buffalo Sabres, and Pittsburgh Penguins are a few of the clubs that could have goalies available.
"The Oilers have made enough calls, and teams call you when you're going through a bad week," he said. "You know the teams out there that kind of have extra goalies or goalies that are willing to move, like Columbus, Buffalo, Pittsburgh.
"And what I can tell is that Edmonton's position has not changed at all. They are not going to do it just to do it. They are not going to do what they believe is a lateral move. They would rather make no move than what they think would be a bad move or a panic move or a move just to do it."
"And what I can tell is that Edmonton's position has not changed at all. They are not going to do it just to do it. They are not going to do what they believe is a lateral move. They would rather make no move than what they think would be a bad move or a panic move or a move just to do it."
Another team worth watching is the Chicago Blackhawks, as Laurent Brossoit returns after over a year away from the ice.
Skinner helped quell some of the chatter Saturday, posting a shutout in Edmonton's 4-0 win over the Seattle Kraken. Still, any slip-ups in upcoming games could reignite speculation around the Oilers' crease.
| POLL | ||
NOVEMBRE 30 | 151 ANSWERS Elliotte Friedman discusses recent rumors surrounding Stuart Skinner's trade request Do you believe Stuart Skinner actually requested a trade? | ||
| Yes | 39 | 25.8 % |
| No | 112 | 74.2 % |
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