Goalie Skinner of the Edmonton Oilers faces Bedard, a different kind of Connor.
Stuart Skinner may have the best strategy of all when it comes to getting ready to take on Connor Bedard, the next big NHL star.
Ultimately, the goalie for the Edmonton Oilers faced the offensive assault of current league poster boy Connor McDavid every day in practice before the ubertalented rookie from the Chicago Blackhawks arrived at Rogers Place for Tuesday’s game.
Indeed, Skinner remarked, pointing out that McDavid is by no means the only potent weapon that regularly faces off against him in real life. “Our team members are skilled, particularly when they are practicing.
“Practice makes a lot of Grade A (scoring opportunities) opportunities, so honing my puck-stopping skills will be beneficial for me.”
Before the two Connors square off on Tuesday, Skinner has proven he is more than capable of handling the challenge. He has won his last six starts before backup Calvin Pickard helped the Oilers make it seven straight.
Bedard led the Blackhawks with 23 points (11 goals, 12 assists) in his first 27 NHL games going into Tuesday’s game, while Skinner had given up 11 goals in those six victories during that time.
Thus far, all indications suggest that Bedard will continue to achieve greater success as he gains more experience. Naturally, this occurs at the cost of the unfortunate individuals tasked with maintaining the crease in front of him.
“It’s a good test for our team and for myself personally going against Chicago,” said Skinner, who has encountered a number of formidable offensive opponents in the past.
However, none of them currently possess the cachet of young Bedard, who drew 8,000 spectators to Rogers Place during his visit last year while playing for the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League.
These days, whenever the Blackhawks travel, a veritable parade of media members accompany them, swarming the rink.
And Tuesday’s morning skate was no exception, with cameras, microphones, and reporters swarming to capture every word the young person said. To his credit, the child spoke with poise and attention, indicating that Bedard’s novelty value hasn’t yet worn off.
Is there any difference between someone in Skinner’s position and all the hype leading up to the puck drop?
Not at all. After a little silence, Skinner remarked, “It shouldn’t, anyway. When you kind of watch him come down, there might be a little bit of nerves, but I’m sure that’s the case for everyone.
“I was just as nervous as I was the first time (Alex) Ovechkin shot at me, and it’s amazing how talented and talented all these guys are as shooters. Thus, just another character with whom I can play and have fun.
As much as a solid showing against The Next Big Thing would boost any goalie’s confidence, Skinner is still focused on the Oilers’ goal of continuing their incredible comeback from a 2-9-1 start to the season, winning streak or not.
“In terms of your game, sometimes things won’t go well, sometimes they will, and maybe there isn’t much to change, maybe there is, but for myself, just being able to stay the course, trust the process, and work on your game every single day,” Skinner said.
“Simply getting better is kind of the name of the game.”
