The Battle of Alberta? There’s nothing like it. The intensity, the noise from the crowd, the history—from brutal fights on the ice to gut-wrenching playoff moments—it’s the kind of rivalry that lives and breathes in Western Canada. And heading into the 2025–26 season, fans won’t be disappointed. The tension feels sharper, more personal, like the stakes are higher than ever.
The Edmonton Oilers are built to win now. The Calgary Flames? They’re climbing, younger, hungry—and ready to throw punches.
Related: Oilers’ Mangiapane Is Primed for a Bounce Back Season
This season, the spotlight isn’t just on the usual stars. It’s on the two guys between the pipes: Stuart Skinner and Dustin Wolf. If either team wants to claim the 2025–26 Battle of Alberta title, it might come down to who performs better in the crease.
Dustin Wolf: Calgary’s Steady Rise
Flames fans have been cautiously optimistic about Wolf for years. Now, finally, they’ve got reason to believe. Last season, the 24-year-old proved he’s the real deal. In 53 starts, Wolf posted a 2.64 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage—solid numbers, especially given how much pressure he faced.
Calgary was one of the league’s lowest-scoring teams, meaning every game Wolf played was tight. There was no margin for error, yet he delivered the goods. What stood out wasn’t just the stats. It was how he carried himself. No panic, no noise—just calm goaltending. He tracked the puck well, stayed positionally sound, and didn’t let bad goals snowball into bad games.
Related: Ryan Huska Is Building the Flames’ Future One Step at a Time
By season’s end, he had earned a spot on the NHL’s All-Rookie Team and was in the Calder Trophy discussion—a rare feat for a goaltender these days. In 2025–26, if he can bring his cool edge into the fire of the Battle of Alberta games, he could be Calgary’s X-factor.
Stuart Skinner: Still Searching for Stability
Meanwhile, in Edmonton, Skinner remains one of the NHL’s most significant question marks in goal. He has the size, the athleticism, and the résumé of a capable starter. However, last season revealed a troubling pattern: periods of brilliance were followed by puzzling dips in form.
In 51 games, Skinner finished with a 2.81 goals-against average and a .896 save percentage. Not disastrous—but not what you’d expect from the starter of a Stanley Cup contender. Too often, pucks didn’t stick, and rebound control created second and third chances.
In the playoffs, things got worse. He was pulled multiple times, including during the Final, where his numbers sagged and trust wavered. That said, Skinner isn’t out of the picture. Not even close. He’s still just 26 and has shown that when dialed in, he can be a stabilizing force. He can be the answer in the net for the Oilers.
Related: What’s Wrong With Oilers Goalie Stuart Skinner? A Closer Look
But here’s the reality: he’s entering a contract year, and he’s doing it with a team that has no time for growing pains. The Oilers are currently built to win. Their forward group is arguably the most dangerous in the league, and their five-on-five play does a decent job limiting high-danger chances. All they need is their goalie to be consistent.
Bottom line: Skinner has to find stability in his game—now.
Four NHL Games That Could Shift the Province
Circle these on your calendar: Oct. 8 in Edmonton. Dec. 23, also in Edmonton. Then, on Dec. 27 and Feb. 4, in Calgary. Four games that will come with playoff energy and carry real consequences.
The first kicks off the regular season—there’s no easing in. The last could decide who’s climbing and who’s collapsing down the stretch. Rivalry games test more than skill; they test nerves. One soft goal, one rebound left uncovered, one moment of flinching—and it’s over.
For the Flames, Wolf represents hope. He’s developing, confident, and might be the franchise goalie Calgary has been missing. For the Oilers, Skinner represents hope, too. He’s been solid while taking over the No. 1 role after the faltering Jack Campbell, but not quite good enough—at least according to many observers. He’s played big games but hasn’t yet owned them consistently.
Related: Could a Polarizing Goalie Move the Needle for McDavid?
For Skinner, this season is about showing he can deliver steady, reliable goaltending—and proving it during the highly publicized Battle of Alberta.
In 2025–26, Alberta Belongs to the Goalie Who Claims It
The Battle of Alberta has never needed more hype. But this season, the intensity has a different flavor. With Wolf on the rise and Skinner at a crossroads—with fans and media firmly split—the goalie duel is no longer a subplot. It might be the story.
And in games where momentum shifts on a single shot, the goalie who performs best could decide not just a rivalry, but a season.
[Note: I’d like to thank Brent Bradford (PhD) for his help co-authoring this post. His profile can be found at www.linkedin.com/in/brent-bradford-phd-3a10022a9]
