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Avalanche, Oilers Goalies Lead League in Scary Category

The Colorado Avalanche and Edmonton Oilers are struggling, and it is largely due to their performance in goal.

Jacob Punturi

Oct 15, 2024; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner (74) waits for play to begin against the Philadelphia Flyers at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
Oct 15, 2024; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner (74) waits for play to begin against the Philadelphia Flyers at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images / Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
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Neither the Colorado Avalanche or Edmonton Oilers have had an ideal start to their seasons. The Oilers lost their first three games and looked discombobulated throughout, while the Avalanche are 1-4 through their first five games.

The biggest commonality between the Avalanche and Oilers is their struggles in net. Despite both teams being viewed as the two favorites to win the Western Conference, neither currently looks like they have the goalie to bring them that far. It's not just the eye test that's troubling, as all of the statistics and numbers behind the performances of Colorado's Alexander Georgiev and Edmonton's Stuart Skinner are reaching a very dangerous territory.

MoneyPuck.com recently released a breakdown of their goals saved above expected model, ranked from worst to best. It factors in a combination of shots against and ranks the level of danger each scoring opportunity presents (expected goals against) to arrive at a goals save above expected number. A positive number means they are performing above average, and a negative number means the opposite.

The top two goalies on the list were Georgiev and Skinner. Georgiev's goals saved above expected is a paltry -2.469 while Skinners' is -1.565. In laymen's terms, both goalies are allowing at least a goal or two per game more than MoneyPuck's model predicts.

Those numbers makes complete sense when you watch both Skinner and Georgiev play so far this season. Georgiev has allowed 20 goals on just 106 shots against. He's been pulled multiple times already, and his poor start reportedly has the Avalanche in trade talks for goalie reinforcements.

While Skinner's rebounded after a tumultuous season debut, his game still looks far off from the form he showed during the playoffs last year. With 11 goals against on 71 shots against, he simply must be better for the Oilers as they try to capture that elusive Stanley Cup.

If this play continues, both the Oilers and Avalanche's Stanley Cup hopes will be dashed quickly. Both organizations consider themselves to be legitimate contenders, but with subpar goaltending, they will be restricted to nothing but pretenders.

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Jacob Punturi
JACOB PUNTURI

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