Dan Muse Names Tonight's Starter, and It Might Be the Right Call

Dan Muse saying Skinner gets the crease is the simplest kind of clarity, pick a guy and let the room breathe. When Dan Potash put it out there, it sounded like a coach backing the work.

This is the right choice because the Penguins have been chasing steadiness, not perfection. A calm goalie changes five skaters fast.

Skinner is 27, drafted in 2017, round 3, pick 78 by Edmonton, and he plays like he knows how the story usually goes. The contract slot matters too when you are juggling the rest of the roster.

In his last five games, he has allowed 9 goals while making 108 saves, good for a .923 save percentage. That is the kind of stretch that earns a real runway.

You could feel the tone shift when the starter news hit the timeline.

On the ice, this choice lets Pittsburgh hold the blue line instead of sagging into a shell. When your goalie looks set, your defense stops reaching.

It also keeps the rotation honest, because Arturs Silovs can still take a night when the schedule gets nasty. Muse is picking a clear number one for this spot, not writing a permanent label.

Penguins fans have been begging for a goalie who looks bored on routine saves, and Skinner has had that vibe lately.

When your goalie tracks pucks clean, the slot battles get louder and the clears get cleaner. That is how you survive the greasy goals that swing games.

Skinner is 6 foot 4 and catches left, so shooters see a lot of body and not many holes. Big goalies still need edges, but size buys you a half second on broken plays.

Elite Prospects also has him at .906 save percentage over his last 10 games, which is strong enough to trust while the team irons out mistakes. That trend is what coaches lean on.

The psychology matters too, because naming a starter tells the bench to stop playing scared. One wobble does not have to turn into three goals.

His cap hit is listed at 2,600,000 for 25-26, and value in net is gold when you are trying to push without blowing up the rest. If he stays sharp, the next milestone is simple, stack wins and make it boring.

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