The Winnipeg Jets have signed former Edmonton Oiler and Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Stu Skinner to a two-year deal worth an average annual value of US $3.75 million.
Skinner says the decision to sign with Winnipeg came down to conversations with him and his agent Ray Petkau. “Talking about going into an organization like that, how they treat their players. That really fits into what I was looking for.”
Ironically, Skinner shares the same agent as new team mate and goalie tandem partner Connor Hellebuyck. And the newest Jet was asked if coming to Winnipeg was impacted at all by the persistent rumours that Hellebuyck has requested a trade.
“To be honest, it wasn’t too much of a conversation because we don’t know too much,” said Skinner with a chuckle. “Obviously there are rumours out there and as far as my experience, rumours are just rumours until something happens.”
Skinner started a total of 50 games with the Oilers and Penguins during the 2025-26 season and registered a 2.92 goals against average, .888 saves percentage with two shutouts and a combined record of 23-17-9.
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In three playoff starts for the Penguins, Skinner was 0-3 with a 3.08 GAA and .873 SP.
The 27-year-old Edmonton native spent the first seven and a half years of his professional career with the Edmonton organization, finally breaking through as an NHL regular in the 2022-23 season when he started 50 games and then another 12 in the playoffs that year.
Skinner’s career numbers at the NHL level read 224 regular season games played with a 121-71-23 record, 2.77 goals against average, .902 saves percentage, and nine shutouts.
The six-foot-four-inch, 215-pound netminder also has 53 career playoff games on his resume and twice helped Edmonton get to the Stanley Cup Final in the 2024 and 2025 post seasons.
But even with all of that experience, Skinner says he’s not coming to Winnipeg with a goalie bag full of expectations. “The things I thought about was playing for the Winnipeg Jets. The big thing is, it really depends on me, depends on my play. What I’ve learned from experience is you get what you earn.”
It’s the second time the Jets have gone the free agent route to sign a goalie. In 2017 Winnipeg inked former Philadelphia Flyer Steve Mason to a two-year deal worth an AAV of US $4.1 million.
Mason played only 13 games during the 2017-18 season before eventually being traded to Montreal.
Skinner is a bust everywhere he goes and his signing by the Jets demonstrates Cheveldayoff has no faith in the 3/4 young goalies he drafted over the last 5 years. A disgusting move by Chevy. Chipman do the right thing; dump the bum!
fire the useless GM
Guess Helli is gone. Think I would have been better if he was traded first, but they must have their reasons. Need a big mean forward. We are not competitive as it stands so might as well make us painful to play against
Mike McIntyre says Cheveldayoff not talking to media today. Did he even get out of bed today? And where are all the hockey expert commentators on Global Wpg news today? What a ConJOB!