Random Thoughts: Stuart Skinner, Jersey Ads, and working out to Shakira

Can you believe that it’s already been a week since the last edition of Random Thoughts? Of course, I’m talking about MY version of Random Thoughts and not the knockoff version Gregor posted yesterday. *wink* Can you believe you’ve survived this long without my weekly dose of brain boogers to ponder and digest?

I know a lot of the talk around here has been about how Jack Campbell will handle the pressure that comes with a fresh 5×5 contract, and as much as it will be exciting to see what he can do, I’m almost as pumped to see what Stuart Skinner will bring to the table. Even though the guy only played 13 games for the Oilers last season, that small taste of what he brings to the table was enough to pique my interest for what he’d be able to do with a little more leash. Now the backup to Jack Campbell, Skinner has the opportunity to make a very real contribution to his hometown team and if that storyline matched with his skill isn’t enough to excite you then you may just be dead inside. Regardless of where he’s from or what he did last year or the fact that his last start was a shutout, I’m eager to see what he’ll do as the back half of our new and hopefully improved goaltending tandem. I believe Skinner is part of the solution and I’d bet Gregor’s money on the fact that he shows us exactly that when the season kicks off in October.

I need everyone to watch this video of Jack Campbell. It’s not that he says something crazy or anything like that, but rather that he just might be the friendliest person on earth. At least, that’s the impression I get with every new video that comes out of him with a microphone in his face. No matter the topic, he just seems so genuinely excited and even though I’d also be happy to go just about anywhere for $5 million, I’m going to bet here and now that this dude is a fan favourite by Christmas. The guy just seems like too much of a sweetheart to not sweep this city off its feet. Sure, there will be some bumps along the way, but I think we’re going to find that Jack Campbell is the kind of person that has us all in his corner in a real hurry.

Even though I can absolutely say that I was happy to hear that the Oilers won’t be putting ads on their jerseys, I will also say that it wouldn’t have bothered me even if they did. That’s why I was a little bit surprised to be cruising Twitter and see how many of my fellow hockey fans are all fired up about the new jersey ads that some teams will feature this year. And just like I said for the helmet ads, I’m going to go ahead and say that I never even notice the ads when I watch the games on TV. Is that part of the trick? I don’t know. Either way, you can count my official vote on the matter as not giving a single hoot, especially when I found out that the jerseys we all buy won’t feature the sponsored patches. Thankfully, we don’t have to care about ads on our beautiful blue jerseys because the Oilers are going without — who knows for how long — and I’m free to enjoy the random arguments that folks are having online.

Look at the picture above. How good does Dylan Holloway look in these blue unis? Damned good, it’s the only answer. I know I keep talking about the blue and orange jerseys these days, but I just have to get up on the mountaintops and scream how happy I am that this is what the Oilers are going back to wearing. If I’m being honest, I was not a big fan of the orange unis the boys have been wearing since the colour swap, and just knowing that they had these masterpieces sitting on the shelf with the best player on earth in their lineup was a tragedy. Now that we’re having our memories refreshed with how beautiful they are on ice, I can’t wait to get this season underway with a look that’s finally sexy enough to do the boys justice. I mean, when I imagine Connor McDavid lifting the Stanley Cup over his head — I’m hammered in the loge level, barreling through red wine and California rolls — this is the uniform that he’s wearing.

I don’t think I will ever get tired of looking at Jesse Puljujarvi because the kid is fascinating. Let’s unpack this quick cardio video, shall we? First off, my guy is shredded so if anyone was worried about the all-abs team then you can finally take a breath and relax. Second, the Waka Waka by Shakira soundtrack for the ride is an excellent choice for this segment of his workout because she’s got bangers for days and her hips don’t lie (her words, not mine). Look how happy Jesse is when the chorus kicks in. That’s the magic of music, my friends. Third, Jaffa forever. I love dogs and he is, without a doubt, a very good boy. Fourth, I love the shimmy and I love the shake. Fifth, I’m worried that we’ve been skipping leg day.

Who had Ryan Murray signing in Edmonton on their off-season bingo card? Nobody, that’s who. That’s why I gathered my thoughts and sat down at the Studio Baggedmilk to knock out an emergency episode of the podcast and try to make sense of what’s going on around here. Subscribe to Better Lait Than Never for FREE on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and wherever else you get your podcasts.