One of the biggest moves the Edmonton Oilers made on the first day of free agency yesterday was signing veteran forward Jeff Skinner to a one-year contract.
The one-time 40-goal scorer was a hot commodity as the free agent market opened up, with multiple teams lining up to try to sign him after the Buffalo Sabres opted to buy out his $9 million cap hit over the weekend.
One of those teams was reportedly his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs, but Skinner decided to say no to staying close to home in favour of heading out West to sign a $3 million contract with the Oilers.
“It’s a great hockey team and I’d like to sort of be a part of that,” Skinner told media this morning. “For me, the thing that stood out most about the Oilers is sort of the interest they showed and the consistent interest they showed.
“The Oilers were very consistent in their interest and kind of made me feel that, so I think that played a big role. It’s pretty obvious they have a great team, and I’d like to be a part of that.”
“My goal is to fit in & be a piece of the puzzle & bring the things that I do well to the team.”
Jeff Skinner speaks over Zoom about joining the #Oilers on the opening day of free agency.@Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/Lgr9rtVKyU
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) July 2, 2024
Skinner is also the bearer of an unfortunate curse that has plagued his career. Though he has over 1,000 NHL games under his belt, he has yet to play a single one of those games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He spent eight years on a mediocre Carolina Hurricanes team and then eight more with the Sabres, who haven’t made the playoffs since the 2010-11 season.
Given that the Oilers were just a single win away from winning the Stanley Cup last season, Skinner is hopeful that the streak of non-playoff hockey will finally come to an end.
“It’s an exciting time to be an Oilers fan or be a part of the organization, and I’m just excited to join,” Skinner said. “I’ve been around a long, sort of been able to watch a lot of postseason [hockey]… I think the run [the Oilers] went on last year is something everyone is aware of.”
Skinner is expected to step right into the Oilers’ top six once the season comes around. That means that the 32-year-old will most likely get to play alongside either Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl.
When asked about that possibility, Skinner couldn’t help but break into a smile.
“I think pretty much anyone in hockey would like the sound of [playing with McDavid or Draisaitl],” Skinner said. “Those guys create a ton of space, they get a lot of attention from the other team, they make unbelievably high-end skill plays, but as a winger, you can’t ask for anything more than that.
“Those two guys are big pulls, I think, and I’m excited to get out there and play with them.”
Skinner is coming off a pretty decent 24-goal season with the Sabres and is just a season removed from a career year that saw him score 35 goals and 82 points. If he can continue to play his offensive brand of hockey alongside McDavid or Draisaitl, hitting that mark again won’t be out of the realm of possibility.
As the Oilers continue to have success, they seem to be becoming a popular destination for skilled players looking to win.