Insider believes former Oilers-Penguins Goalie as Option for Senators

It’s no secret that the Ottawa Senators are in the market for goaltending help this offseason. Beyond Linus Ullmark, the Sens don’t have much certainty in the crease. Despite the solid seasons from veteran James Reimer, he’s far from a sure thing.

And that’s why the Senators will be looking for some help this offseason. We’ve looked at various options here on Senshot, focusing on the potential backup options for Ullmark.

That said, one intriguing name keeps popping up. That’s former Edmonton Oilers and Pittsburgh Penguins netminder Stuart Skinner. The idea of Skinner landing in the Nation’s Capital is nothing new.

However, a recent report by insider Kevin Weekes has added to the speculation regarding Skinner heading to Ottawa.

It’s not a bad idea, but two questions emerge as we consider Skinner landing in Ottawa.

First, do the Senators view Skinner as a starter or a backup? The answer to that question would greatly determine the calculus that the Sens would use to figure out how much Skinner is worth to the organization.

Skinner is coming off a three-year deal worth $2.6 million AAV. If the Sens see Skinner as a backup, there’s a good chance that they’ll offer a similar cap hit, potentially on a one or two-year deal.

But if Skinner sees himself as a starter, anything around his previous cap hit, or even below, would be a non-starter.

Second, if the Senators view Skinner as a potential starter, how does that affect the situation with Ullmark? The 32-year-old will be entering the second year of a four-year pact carrying an $8.25 million cap hit. As such, it’s tough to see the Senators paying Skinner like a starter while still having Ullmark making that sort of cash.

Skinner could opt for show-me deal with Senators

The 27-year-old Skinner could opt to sign with Ottawa on a one-year, show-me deal. Given how his time ended in Edmonton and his relatively tough time in Pittsburgh, multi-year deals may be hard to come by this summer.

So, Skinner could figure that signing with a team that would give him a chance to play could help boost his value. That team could be the Senators.

Ullmark will be on track for about 50 to 55 starts next season. That situation means that a good backup, like Skinner, could fetch about 30 starts. That’s enough of a sample size to convince another organization that he might still have the potential to be a #1 NHL goalie.

Ultimately, Skinner’s landing in Ottawa will depend on the dollars and cents. Beyond term, the Senators will be looking to make a cost-effective decision with their backup goaltender. That’s why paying Skinner more than $2 million per season might be a bad idea.

We shall see, especially since the free-agent market this season isn’t exactly rife with high-end netminders.