The Edmonton Oilers' journey with Nail Yakupov, the first overall pick in the 2012 NHL Draft, didn't unfold as many had hoped. Drafted to be a cornerstone of the Oilers' offense, Yakupov's time in Edmonton was marked by inconsistency. However, the Oilers managed to turn the page, eventually using assets from the Yakupov trade to draft a player who would become an NHL All-Star: goaltender Stuart Skinner.

Expectations were high when the Oilers drafted Yakupov, envisioning him joining Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Jordan Eberle to form a dynamic offensive core. But after four seasons, Yakupov was traded to the St. Louis Blues.

On October 7, 2016, the Oilers traded Yakupov to the Blues in exchange for prospect Zach Pochiro and a conditional third-round pick in the 2017 NHL Draft. The condition stipulated that the pick would become a second-rounder if Yakupov scored 15 or more goals in the 2016-17 season. Yakupov failed to reach that mark, and the Oilers received a third-round pick.

Zach Pochiro played in 46 games split between the AHL and ECHL during the 2016-17 season. The Oilers did not extend his rights at the end of the season.

With the 78th overall pick in the 2017 NHL Draft, acquired using assets from the Yakupov trade, the Oilers selected Stuart Skinner from the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the Western Hockey League (WHL). Skinner signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Oilers on May 14, 2018.

Skinner played in the WHL for four seasons, from 2013 to 2018, with the Lethbridge Hurricanes and the Swift Current Broncos. He won a championship with Swift Current, posting a 2.20 goals-against average, a .932 save percentage, and six shutouts.

After his selection in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, Skinner was signed to a three-year entry-level contract with the Edmonton Oilers on May 14, 2018. Entering the final year of his entry-level contract, Skinner remained on the Oilers roster to start the 2020–21 season.

Skinner eventually became the Oilers' starting goalie. Skinner's play during the 2023 NHL Playoffs did not resemble that of an All-Star, but the Calder Trophy finalist is still young and has time to improve his consistency. During the postseason, he had a 3.68 goals-against average (GAA) and an.

Skinner, now 26 years old, is hoping to improve his statistics. He shed some weight over the summer and came into training camp at 215 pounds, 10 pounds lighter than the previous year. His regular-season career goals-against average is 2.73 with a .906 save percentage. In the playoffs, however, those numbers rise to 2.88 and fall to .893. Skinner said his on-ice performance wasn't the reason he dropped the pounds, but for his longevity and health.

Skinner is signed to a 3 year, $7,800,000 contract with a cap hit of $2,600,000 per season. His contract expires at the end of the 2025-26 season, making him an Unrestricted Free Agent.

Yakupov, after leaving the NHL, played in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Most recently, Yakupov played for multiple KHL teams, including Avangard Omsk and Neftekhamsk Neftekhimik.