Stuart Skinner standing tall in Hurricanes net

When asked about the thought of an NHL team calling his name, Skinner admitted that it’s something that sometimes creeps into his head at night, but that he’s trying not to get caught up in.

“All the [draft] rankings are kind of up and down, you know, one rankings says you’re last, one ranking says your first… I try to not look too much at that. The draft’s always in the back of your mind, but you try to stay away from that stuff, just so that you don’t get in your head and either feel too negative or too positive, you kind of want to keep even keel.”

As part of the lead-up to the draft, Skinner took part in the Sherwin Williams Top Prospects game in Quebec City on Jan. 30, an event that showcases the best undrafted players in the CHL. Taking over in the second half of the game from Prince Albert’s Ian Scott, Skinner turned aside 17 of 18 shots, helping Team Cherry edge Team Orr 7-5.

After returning home, Skinner took some time to discuss the experience with Lethbridge News Now, starting from the moment he was invited.

“It was a really cool feeling. When I was told that I was going there I got butterflies in my stomach, a little nervous,” explained Skinner in a calm tone that never seems to rise too high or too low. He added that after arriving in Quebec City, and especially after watching the first half of the game, the nerves completely disappeared.

“I like to think that the more people watching, I kind of do better, you kind of get more energy from the fans, and the fans in Quebec City were great,” said Skinner. “They were really loud in there and every time something was going on in the rink, you couldn’t really hear much because the fans were clapping and yelling.”

Looking at Skinner’s play with the Hurricanes this season, one thing that stands out is the fact that his numbers have taken a notable dip from 2015-16. His save percentage sits at .906 with a goals against average of 3.22. That’s compared to .920 and 2.73 one year earlier. A large part is likely tied to a much heavier work-load. Not only is he playing far more games, but as several Hurricanes forwards have noted this season, the team plays an offensive style that can sometimes leave the goaltender on his own.

“It can be difficult from my standpoint, if we make a bad turnover, playing a run-and-gun game, if you make a mistake…” Skinner trailed off, before flashing a smile and continuing. “Playing that type of game, I like it because it puts pressure on me, it makes me need to be a big part of our team. I love that kind of pressure.”

Despite the statistical decline, Skinner still sports at impressive 27-13-3-2 record and was recently named WHL Goaltender of the Week. He noted that he’s working on trying to build on that success.

“I think that I need to work on everything all the time, I mean, you can always be better. Personally, I’ve been working a lot on my mental game, my mental strength. The mental game for me is really big, going out on the ice, something bad could happen and it’s just how you react to it.

“Every game helps,” he continued. “Every chance you get to play on the ice, it’s an opportunity for you to kind of shine or show your ability to play hockey.”

With that said, Skinner is now working to focus all of his energy on the Hurricanes and a run at a championship this spring.

“[The team] is happy and we’re having fun and we love coming to the rink everyday and working on ourselves everyday,” stated Skinner. “I think just how we look at things, our work ethic, how much we want it… we’re going to make it, we’re going to go to the Memorial Cup and win. We just want to prove ourselves right.”

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Into the Hurricane
(Check back every Friday during the regular season for a look at the players you cheer for)

Tyler Wong – (Feb. 3, 2017)

Alec Baer – (Jan. 27, 2017)

by Patrick Burles - @PatrickBurles on Twitter

Stuart Skinner standing tall in Hurricanes net

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