Stuart Skinner Draws Ottawa Senators Interest Ahead of July 1
stuart skinner is drawing Ottawa Senators interest ahead of July 1, with the club reportedly viewing the former Edmonton Oilers goalie as one of its top offseason targets. The move points to a team trying to sort out its crease after struggling to find a reliable backup behind Linus Ullmark last season.
Bruce Garrioch on Skinner
Bruce Garrioch wrote that “A name to keep an eye on is Pittsburgh Penguins unrestricted free agent Stuart Skinner,” and added that “The expectation is he won’t be back with the Penguins next season, and the belief is he will be among Ottawa’s top targets in free agency.”
Skinner is 27 and set to be one of the best free agent goalies available this summer. His current cap hit is $2.6 million, while AFP Analytics projects his next deal at $3.8 million on a two-year contract. That gives Ottawa a clear price range to weigh as free agency opens on July 1.
Skinner’s playoff drift
The appeal comes with clear baggage. Skinner played 27 games with the Penguins after being traded there in December and finished with a 12-9-5 record and a.885 save percentage. He also lost three straight to the Philadelphia Flyers in the playoffs before losing the starting job to Arturs Silovs.
That was not an isolated stretch. Skinner lost the starter’s net in the playoffs for three consecutive seasons, and Calvin Pickard relieved him in the playoffs in both 2024 and 2025. The pattern helps explain why a team looking for stability may still see him as a target, while a return to Edmonton appears unlikely.
Ottawa’s crease decision
Ottawa’s interest fits the shape of the market. The Senators struggled to find a competent backup goalie to starter Linus Ullmark last season, and Skinner brings the kind of experience that could change the mix quickly if the club decides to move in that direction.
For Skinner, the next step is simple: hit the market on July 1 and see whether Ottawa treats him as a bargain rebound or a larger bet in goal. For the Senators, the choice is whether to spend on a 27-year-old goalie with a projected $3.8 million price tag or keep searching for a safer fit behind Ullmark.
