The Winnipeg Jets signed free agent goaltender Stuart Skinner on Wednesday, increasing speculation that star starter Connor Hellebuyck will be traded.
Skinner signed a two-year contract that carries a $3.75 million average annual value against the salary cap. He made $2.6 million against the cap on a three-year term on his last contract with the Edmonton Oilers.
Skinner, 27, started last season with the Oilers but was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in a deal that brought goalie Tristan Jarry to Edmonton. Overall, Skinner was 23-17-9 with a .888 save percentage in 50 games.
Though he was in the net for Edmonton's back-to-back Stanley Cup Final appearances in 2024 and 2025, Skinner struggled in the postseason for Pittsburgh, going 0-3 with a 3.08 goals-against average in a six-game, first-round loss to the Flyers.
He checks some boxes for the Jets, from his experience playing in a Canadian market to his being a positive presence in the locker room.
But most of all, Skinner gives Winnipeg an established starter if the team trades Hellebuyck, arguably the league's best goaltender. Hellebuyck opened the door to trade speculation after expressing his frustration with the state of the Jets after last season.
"From my perspective, complacency is not going to get us moving forward. Something has got to happen," he said in his exit interviews with reporters.
Hellebuyck, 33, had the worst save percentage (.895) of his NHL career last season in Winnipeg. He is a three-time winner of the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's best goaltender, as voted on by the league's general managers. He's first among active goaltenders in games played (625) and shutouts (45), while being second in wins (345). His legacy was cemented in February, when Hellebuyck's 41-save performance helped deliver Team USA its first Olympic men's hockey gold medal since 1980.
Skinner said he signed with the Jets not having much clarity about Hellebuyck's future with the franchise.
"Obviously, there's rumors out there. In my experience, rumors are just rumors until something happens," he told ESPN. "So, to be honest, that wasn't too much of a discussion. As of right now, me and Helly are teammates, which is so exciting. He's the best goalie in the world. So, it's a great opportunity for me."
Hellebuyck is signed through 2031 with an $8.5 million cap hit. His contract has a full no-movement clause this offseason that converts to a 10-team approved trade list next offseason, according to PuckPedia.
