Jeff Skinner Unsigned: Oilers Deal Now Unlikely

Jeff Skinner’s future in Edmonton remains up in the air as NHL free agency continues, with the veteran winger still looking for a new home after a rocky season with the Oilers.

The 33-year-old showed he can still put the puck in the net, scoring 16 even-strength goals last season while carrying a $3 million cap hit. Pretty impressive numbers considering how little ice time he actually got.

But here’s the thing – Skinner spent a lot of time watching from the press box under head coach Kris Knoblauch. When he did get a chance to play, he made things happen.

He clicked with Connor McDavid at times. He created scoring chances. He wasn’t shy about shooting the puck.

The numbers tell an interesting story. Players like Trent Frederic ($3.85M, eight goals) and Andrew Mangiapane ($3.6M, 14 goals) are getting bigger paydays than what Skinner made last year – and they put up fewer goals.

That’s got people wondering: Could Skinner be a bargain waiting to happen?

The veteran forward still has the scoring touch that teams are always hunting for. If he’d take a deal between $1.5-2 million, he could end up being one of the better value signings this summer.

There’s just one catch.

The relationship between Skinner and coach Knoblauch never seemed to click. For whatever reason, the trust just wasn’t there.

Now the big question is whether Skinner even wants another go-round in Edmonton. Sometimes a fresh start might be exactly what a player needs.