If there’s one area the Edmonton Oilers need to improve over the next few weeks to months, it’s finding a better goalkeeper.
Stuart Skinner isn’t great, and while he’s had some decent showings in the net for the Oilers over the past few years, ultimately, he hasn’t done the job for Edmonton when it needs him most. Some believe that the team will look to move on from him, and could trade him to a team like the Buffalo Sabers in return for their goalkeeper, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.
That includes Heavy Sports’ Nestor Quistan, who proposed a trade idea to send Skinner to Buffalo, including a second-round pick and Beau Akey.
MORE: Recently signed Maple Leafs youngster ‘connected’ to Penguins in trade rumors
Oilers get: Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Sabres get: Stuart Skinner, 2026 second-round pick, Beau Akey
“The Oilers could significantly benefit from Luukkonen taking over the crease, as he’s shown to be a stable presence in his two full seasons…
“Having a solid team in front of him, like the Oilers, could drastically shift Luukkonen’s numbers. Going from a team that’s missed the playoffs 14 straight seasons to a club that’s been to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals should boost Luukkonen’s performance,” he wrote.
Luukkonen, as he touched on, could benefit from playing for a much better Oilers team. Throughout the 2024-25 season, he had some decent showings but finished 24-24-5, allowed 3.2 goals per game, and had just an 88.7 save percentage.
In the earlier stages of his career, he was much better, allowing just 2.57 goals per game during the 2023-24 season, so hopefully, that’s the player the Oilers would be getting if they made this trade.
