Oilers’ Skinner Named NHL ‘Rookie of the Month’ for March

NEW YORK – Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner, who led the entire NHL (rookies and veterans) with 10 wins in 12 games (10-1-1, 2.83 GAA, .908 SV%, 1 SO), has been named the NHL’s “Rookie of the Month” for March.

Skinner edged Arizona Coyotes left wing Matias Maccelli (6-7—13 in 16 GP), Buffalo Sabres right wing JJ Peterka (3-8—11 in 13 GP), Dallas Stars center Wyatt Johnston (7-3—10 in 15 GP), Nashville Predators right wing Luke Evangelista (5-4—9 in 15 GP) and Vegas Golden Knights left wing Pavel Dorofeyev (5-2—7 in 9 GP) for the honor.

Skinner set a franchise record for wins in a calendar month by a rookie or veteran, besting the previous high of nine established by Andy Moog in January 1983 (9-1-2 in 12 GP) and matched by Grant Fuhr in December 1988 (9-3-1 in 13 GP), Tommy Salo in March 2003 (9-3-1 in 13 GP) and Mike Smith in April 2022 (9-0-0 in 9 GP).

Skinner, who in February became the second rookie netminder in Edmonton history to play in the All-Star Game (following Fuhr in 1982), became the first rookie goaltender on any team to outright lead the League in wins during a calendar month since February 2019, when Jordan Binnington did so with the St. Louis Blues (10-1-0 in 11 GP).

Skinner, who made at least 25 saves in 10 of his 12 March appearances, capped the month with 43 stops March 30 vs. LAK for his second career shutout (and first of 2022-23). Only three other netminders, rookie or veteran, in Oilers history have recorded as many saves in a regular-season shutout: Ben Scrivens (59 SV; Jan. 29, 2014 vs. SJS), Curtis Joseph (52 SV; Dec. 10, 1996 at DET) and Nikolai Khabibulin (43 SV; March 26, 2013 at STL).

The 24-year-old Skinner, a third-round pick (78th overall) in the 2017 NHL Draft, owns a 25-14-5 record with a 2.88 goals-against average and .911 save percentage in 46 total contests this season. His 25 wins are the second-most by an Edmonton rookie in a single campaign, behind Fuhr’s 28 in 1981-82 (48 GP), as well as the most by a rookie on any team since Matt Murray earned 32 in 2016-17 (49 GP w/ PIT).

Skinner is the first Oilers player to receive “Rookie of the Month” honors since current teammate Connor McDavid won the award three times in 2015-16 (October, February and March). He is the fifth straight goaltender to claim the honor this season, following Logan Thompson (VGK) in November, Pyotr Kochetkov (CAR) in December, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (BUF) in January and Mads Sogaard (OTT) in February.

Stuart Skinner in March