Kyle Dubas Explains Message To Penguins After Acquiring Stuart Skinner

The Pittsburgh Penguins made a bold move on Friday, acquiring Stuart Skinner from the Edmonton Oilers.

Pittsburgh traded goalie Tristan Jarry and forward Sam Poulin to the Oilers for Skinner, defenseman Brett Kulak, and a second-round draft pick in 2029. It was a bold move, but one Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas felt was necessary.

Following the trade, Dubas spoke to reporters and revealed the message this move sends to the team by adding Skinner in net.

“The message to the room is that Stu Skinner has had a very good run in Edmonton as well,” Dubas said on Friday. “I know this year didn’t start off the way that he or the team would have wanted it to, but I think, especially of late, he’s been back playing his game to the level that he’s expected.

“That’ll be up to Stu and (goalie coach) Andy Chiodo and our performance staff and coaching staff and our whole group to support him, have him come in and play well. Obviously, I think if you’re in his shoes, it’s a lot to prove. I mean, they’ve made the move to go away from him, and we’ll give him the best opportunity we can to be at his best.”

Skinner has gotten off to a slow start this season as he’s 11-8-4 with a 2.83 GAA and a .891 SV%. Yet, he did help lead the Oilers to back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances, which Penguins head coach Dan Muse believes is a positive for the room.

“You can’t put a price on that type of experience,” Muse said. “Two years in a row, too. It’s a lot of it. So, yeah, excited for him and the opportunity here. I think the playoffs are so hard. To have been there and to have been through it and to be through that kind of a grind and to be able to learn from it, like, yeah, that experience, you don’t have that in every single locker room. So, it’s another guy here now coming in that has that.”

Skinner and Kulak were both granted non-roster status due to immigration. The Penguins are taking it day by day, so when both will make their debuts is uncertain.

Pittsburgh is set to return to the ice on Sunday at home against the Utah Mammoth at 3 p.m. ET.

More Penguins: Dan Muse Takes Blame For Penguins Blowing Four-Goal Third-Period Lead