Oilers Letting Jeff Skinner Walk Finalizes Fix on Two Big Missteps

The San Jose Sharks signed former Oilers winger Jeff Skinner to a one-year, $3 million deal, officially ending a brief and lackluster stint in Edmonton. While Skinner showed signs that he could be the player the Oilers were hoping they’d signed in free agency, he fell out of favor with the head coach early and never really regained any traction. As such, while he’ll likely produce at a higher level in San Jose, the Oilers were wise to let him walk.

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Skinner arrived in Edmonton with hopes of rekindling his scoring touch alongside superstars Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl. The Oilers were aware his underlying numbers weren’t great in Buffalo, but management convinced themselves those numbers were the result of playing on a bad team. However, his early defensive lapses quickly landed him in coach Kris Knoblauch’s doghouse. Though he rebounded late in the season and chipped in during the playoffs, Skinner ultimately didn’t mesh with the Oilers. They needed faster, more aggressive, and younger. He is none of those things.

The larger issue was the context of his signing. Last summer, then-interim GM Jeff Jackson signed both Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson for a combined $7 million, because he could. The Oilers were excited about two well-known offensive players targeting Edmonton and the Jackson bit. The signings pushed the team over the cap.

That’s when the Blues snuck in and forced the Oilers into a big decision. The issued offer sheets to key RFAs Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg. Newly-hired GM Stan Bowman chose not to match. It turned out to be a poor decision.

This summer, Bowman has done everything he can to fill the holes that were created by the loss of Holloway and Broberg, but also the loss of Arvidsson and Skinner. The Oilers needed not to make the same mistakes this summer as they did last.

Inserted into the top six are less costly options, such as Ike Howard and Matt Savoie. There is no guarantee here, but what the Oilers now have is youth, speed, and upside.

Skinner’s stint in Edmonton will be remembered as a misstep, and he arguably deserved better. All that said, the Oilers are making the right moves now, and his departure was necessary to take the next steps as a prolonged contender.

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