Once again, the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers will meet in the Stanley Cup Final. Last season, the Panthers triumphed in Game 7 after a near-miraculous comeback by the Oilers.
This June, Connor McDavid and company will look to turn their fortunes around. While there have been some changes to both teams’ rosters, one thing remains the same: goaltenders Stuart Skinner (Edmonton) and Sergei Bobrovsky (Florida) will once again dual.
With these two front and center, let’s further examine the netminders to see who has the edge.
Résumé: Bobrovsky
Bobrovsky is a sure fire Hall of Famer and has the trophy case to back it up. In addition to last year’s Stanley Cup, he also has two Vezina Trophies and is a two-time All-Star. He’s considered one of the greatest goalies of his era and sports a career .914 save percentage.
Skinner, on the other hand, has had an up and down career. After a solid rookie season in 2022-23 that saw him place second in the Calder Trophy voting, his save percentage has dipped every year, from .913 to .905 to this season’s .896.
Bobrovsky certainly edges out Skinner for in the career résumé department.
Playoff history: Bobrovsky
Bobrovsky also gets the nod for his overall postseason play. Since 2023, of goalies who have played in more than 20 postseason games, Bobrovsky’s .911 save percentage ranks third and his six shutouts are first overall. He also placed fourth in last season’s Conn Smythe voting after helping lead the Panthers to a Cup.
Skinner, on the other hand, has seen up and down results similar to his regular season play. He’s been benched and pulled multiple times in his career, including both this postseason and last. His career .897 save percentage leaves much to be desired as well.
Overall, Bobrovsky has a much bigger body of work. While Skinner has struggled at times in the postseason, he does seem to step up his game as the playoffs go on, which should be noted.
Recent play: Tie
Bobrovsky was excellent in the Eastern Conference Final against Carolina, going 4-1 and sporting a .935 save percentage. Additionally, since Game 3 against Toronto, he hasn’t allowed more than three goals in a game. For the Panthers, Bobrovsky’s hot streak will be incredibly important to stopping Edmonton’s high powered offense.
On the other side, Skinner has been elite since he was pulled in Game 2 against Los Angeles and re-entered the starter’s net in Game 3 versus Vegas.
