Jeff Skinner scored 40 goals in his first season with the Buffalo Sabres after signing a massive $72 million contract with the franchise back in 2019. The deal looked like a steal back then, but fast forward five years and Skinner’s $9 million AAV is hamstringing the organization after one of the worst seasons of his professional career. That misery stretched to the franchise as well, who still own the longest playoff drought in North American professional sports after a ghastly 2023-24 campaign. There was speculation earlier this offseason that Skinner would be bought out, and that became official at the end of June, rendering the 32-year-old a free agent.
It’s hard not to feel for the veteran Canadian, who now holds the record for most games played without making a playoff appearance with 1,006. That is just ridiculous. Over 1,000 games in the show and Skinner is still yet to get into a postseason contest. He couldn’t do it with the Carolina Hurricanes — the organization that drafted him — between 2010-18, and it’s been a similar story in Buffalo for the most futile pro team of the last decade.
But there’s a great chance that that could change with the Edmonton Oilers, who took a chance on Skinner after a down year. The Oil signed the left winger to a one-year, $3 million show-me contract in NHL free agency on July 1. And at first glance, the contract looks to be a huge win for both player and club.
Jeff Skinner is a low-risk, high-reward signing for Oilers
After shockingly being bought out by the Nashville Predators prior to last season, Matt Duchene signed a one-year, $3 million pact with the Dallas Stars — the exact same thing Skinner just did with the Oilers — and he went on to have a terrific season. On a much smaller contract, and with much less pressure to perform, Duchene scored 25 goals and 65 points in 80 games. It was a fantastic campaign for the veteran, who helped the Stars come within two victories of a Stanley Cup Final appearance.
And the team that beat them is the same one Skinner will be joining, in very similar circumstances to the situation that just played out with Duchene. Skinner is even the same age as Duchene was when he was bought out. The point is, less pressure and less money can help a player bounce back, which is not something Duchene really needed after putting up 56 points in 71 games the season before.
But for Skinner, there is certainly a need for a bounce back after he endured one of the worst offensive seasons of his career. He scored just 46 points in 74 games, which is close to unacceptable for a $9 million player. But in Edmonton, he will join a loaded top-six, and will have much lower expectations on his shoulders as he plays with either Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl in 2024-25. Not too shabby.
And for the Oilers, who were starved for secondary scoring near the end of a heartbreaking Stanley Cup Final loss to the Florida Panthers, it’s a cheap price to pay for a player who can still put the puck in the net.
Along with Viktor Arvidsson, Skinner makes Oilers’ top-6 even more potent
Skinner was an ultra-smart signing by Edmonton’s front office, and he wasn’t the only one. The Oilers added additional scoring help in the form of Viktor Arvidsson, who suffered a disappointing training camp back injury but still put up 15 points in 18 games for the Los Angeles Kings down the stretch. The Oilers also held onto Adam Henrique, Connor Brown and Mattias Janmark, who were all impactful in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
With Skinner and Arvidsson in the mix, and McDavid, Draisaitl, Zach Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins also still involved, this is probably the best top-six the Oilers have had since their heyday in the 1980s. That may be a bit bold, but the way McDavid and Draisaitl have played in the playoffs, and the ability that all six players have to put the puck in the back of the net, it isn’t ludicrous.
Oilers should be well-positioned to compete again after crushing SCF loss
The Oilers were oh-so-close to capturing their first Stanley Cup since 1990, making an incredible comeback from down 3-0 but falling short in Game 7 against the Cats. That sting will take a long time to go away, but the Oilers look like an absolute powerhouse heading into 2024-25. And Skinner should be motivated to contribute as he continues looking for a maiden postseason appearance.
“Edmonton is giving Jeff Skinner a chance to prove himself after the Buffalo Sabres bought out the remainder of his previous deal. If all goes well, Skinner will be a top-six fixture for the Oilers’ offense,” wrote ESPN’s Kristen Shilton regarding the signing. “The 32-year-old winger produced 24 goals and 46 points in 74 games last season for an underperforming Sabres squad, but Skinner is just one year removed from an 82-point campaign that showcased how much of a difference-maker he can still be. Skinner is a pure scoring threat who’s excellent off the rush, and his ability to finish can compensate for some glaring defensive deficiencies.”
Overall, it’s a low-risk, low-cost signing with huge payoff potential. Skinner is probably not going to score 40 goals again, but next to either McDavid or Draisaitl, he should be all around the net next year. He’s hungry for the postseason, the Oilers are hungry for a Stanley Cup, and all around, this looks like a great deal.
There’s going to be a chip on the shoulder of every player on the Oilers next season, and although Skinner wasn’t part of the terrific 2024 Stanley Cup Final run, there’s a very good chance he could be a key piece of the next one.
