Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner is staring down the most significant challenge of his 2025-26 NHL season. His mission, should he choose to accept it, is to confront and conquer a figurative dragon that has haunted a large segment of the Oilers' fanbase for years.
The Dragon in the Crease: Jesper Wallstedt
The dragon is none other than Minnesota Wild netminder Jesper Wallstedt. At just 23 years old, Wallstedt has exploded onto the scene this season as the NHL's hottest goalie. Through nine games, he boasts seven wins and a league-leading .938 save percentage. His stellar play was instrumental in the Wild recently ending the Colorado Avalanche's impressive 10-game winning streak.
However, Wallstedt's success stings particularly sharply in Edmonton for reasons beyond his current statistics. The pain stems from the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, a moment now infamous in Oilers lore. With the 20th overall pick, Edmonton had a chance to select Wallstedt, who was widely regarded as the draft's top goaltending prospect. Instead, the Oilers traded down.
The Draft Day Decision That Still Hurts
The Oilers dealt the 20th selection to the Minnesota Wild for the 22nd and 90th overall picks. At the time, the team's decision was defensible internally, as they had three young goalies in the system: Olivier Rodrigue (21), Ilya Konovalov (23), and Stuart Skinner (22). Skinner had already made his NHL debut and was coming off a strong AHL season in Bakersfield.
With the picks acquired, Edmonton selected forward Xavier Bourgault and defenceman Luca Munzenberger. Neither player has appeared in an NHL game, and both are no longer with the Oilers organization. Minnesota, of course, used the 20th pick to take Wallstedt.
In the weeks leading up to this matchup, the sequence of events has been rehashed endlessly—and agonizingly—by Oilers supporters on social media, a constant reminder of a potentially franchise-altering miss.
A Stark Contrast in Net
The divergence in paths since that draft is now crystallized in the league's goaltending rankings. A recent analysis by The Athletic ranked the Minnesota Wild's goaltending as the second-best in the entire NHL, heavily crediting Wallstedt's emergence as a potential franchise cornerstone.
In stark contrast, the same analysis placed the Edmonton Oilers' goaltending at 31st out of 32 teams. The article noted that while Skinner is capable of brilliance—as shown in a 25-save shutout against the Seattle Kraken—consistency has been a major issue. The Oilers, two-time defending Western Conference champions, find themselves outside a playoff spot, ranking last in team save percentage.
Tonight's game, therefore, is more than just another regular-season contest. It is a direct measuring stick and a narrative-heavy showdown. For Skinner, it's an opportunity to quiet the persistent doubts and prove he can be the steadying force Edmonton desperately needs. For the Oilers, it's a chance to demonstrate that their commitment to defensive hockey is real and that the win in Seattle was the start of a trend, not a fleeting illusion.
All eyes will be on the crease at Rogers Place, where Stu Skinner faces not just the Minnesota Wild, but the spectre of a decision made over four years ago.
