Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner sets lofty expectations for Olympics, sets sight on breaking Stanley Cup jinx

Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner spoke to reporters on Thursday. He said he wants to aim high this season, after failing to win the Stanley Cup for two straight seasons.

Apart from that, Skinner also hopes to play for Team Canada at the 2026 Olympics. Canada will return to Olympic men’s hockey in 2026, and the Games will take place in Italy from February 11-22. The last time Canada won gold in the Olympics was in Sochi 2014.

"I think for my goals this year, I mean, of course, I want to set the bar high," Stuart Skinner said, after Captain's Skate at Downtown Community Arena. (2:32) "I want to go to the Olympics. I want to be a goalie for Team Canada. I want to be able to get back to the Stanley Cup and finish the job this year.

"And that just kind of goes back to last year. And again, a full 82 games and another, four rounds under our belt to really feel it out even more and really learn from this past year."

The Oilers lost the Stanley Cup Final to the Florida Panthers in six games. It was the second straight year Florida beat Edmonton. Edmonton qualified by finishing third in the Pacific Division, and they defeated Los Angeles, Vegas, and Dallas in the playoffs. Florida proved too strong in the final once again.

Skinner knows every NHL player wants to win the Stanley Cup. So, he wants to use last year’s experience to improve.

"As an individual and us as a team and just being able to use that moving forward here and having a good start at the start of the season," Skinner said. "I mean, those are the goals.

"I think everyone's goal in the NHL, ... it'll be to win the Stanley Cup. But yeah, it's definitely we're definitely wanting to finish a job here."

Stuart Skinner is well rested for the new season

Stuart Skinner returned to the ice on August 1 in Kelowna. He waited longer than last summer to start skating, as he said resting more helps him feel strong.

"I got back on the ice a little too quick last summer," Skinner said, in early August. "Going into the season, I want to be as fresh as I can, as strong as I can ... have that excitement of wanting to get back and get back on the ice and get back to work, I’ve definitely found that."

For the Oilers, there are reasons for optimism. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl remain the team’s leaders. Stuart Skinner wants to stay consistent and help the Oilers compete again.