Reunited with Connor McDavid, unheralded Stuart Skinner calming crease for Oilers

Connor McDavid has known Stuart Skinner a long time.

Before the game's bright lights — before he'd even been picked by a junior club — the goaltender was grinding away as a teenager beside McDavid at one of the gruelling fitness camps held by former NHLer Gary Roberts.

McDavid would be on the biggest stage before long.

Skinner, meanwhile, took a more circuitous route.

But that winding path has him back alongside his former training partner with the Edmonton Oilers — this time in a starring role.

"Seeing him get drafted to the Oilers and develop through that whole system, it's been fun," McDavid said of the 24-year-old netminder in his first full NHL season.

"Pretty crazy evolution."

Owen Tippett nearly scored his second goal of the night, but Stuart Skinner made a huge stop to keep the game knotted. <a href="https://t.co/aYzBywba6W">pic.twitter.com/aYzBywba6W</a>

Skinner entered 2022-23 as the second crease option behind Jack Campbell, who arrived in Edmonton after signing a five-year, $25-million US contract the Oilers hoped would finally calm the waters at a position that's been largely unsettled since McDavid entered the league in 2015.

Things, however, didn't go according to that plan.

The Edmonton native's record is only 14-11-4, but his .913 save percentage and 2.92 goals-against average are vastly superior to Campbell's stat line (17-8-4/.887/3.39 GAA).

"Very fortunate with the opportunity I've been getting," said Skinner, a rookie all-star earlier this month. "A lot of experiences — a lot of growing experiences.

"It's been unreal."

Skinner returned to action Tuesday after Campbell surrendered 14 combined goals in three consecutive games — all extra-time losses — with a 24-save performance in a 4-2 victory over