Oilers and Jeff Skinner Prove Not to Be Good Fit – Hockey Writers – Edmonton Oilers

This is the story of two Jeffs, Jeff Skinner and Jeff Jackson, and how things can look good on paper but when it comes to performing on the ice, that's a completely different story. If you remember, things were better in Oil Country when Oilers CEO of Hockey Operations, Jeff Jackson, announced the signing of Jeff Skinner on July 1, 2024. The Oilers signed Skinner, who was bought out for the last three seasons of his eight season. -year, $72-million contract with the Buffalo Sabres.

Considering the Oilers signed Skinner to a one-year, $3 million contract, they felt they were getting a really good value for a proven scorer who has amassed 363 goals in 1,038 career games. In retrospect, they may have paid more attention to his plus/minus minus-139 rating. In 32 games with the Oilers this season, he has six goals, six assists and a plus/minus of minus-9. Not fair considering the Oilers are a team with a plus-13 goal differential and Skinner has the worst plus/minus ratio on the team. It's no real surprise that Oilers coach Kris Knobluach moved Skinner down to the fourth line.

It is clear that this Deal does not apply to the Player or the Club

There was a lot of anticipation for Skinner's July 1 signing in Oil Country. He was signed on the same day as another goaltender, Viktor Arvidsson, who came to the Oilers as a free agent from the Los Angeles Kings. Both signings are not looking good as we approach the halfway point of the season as Skinner has not performed well and Arvidsson has been injured for almost half the season. Skinner came to Oil Country with dreams of making the playoffs. In more than 1,000 career regular season games, he has yet to play in a single playoff game. That is difficult.

Considering the Oilers have given Skinner looks on the first, second and third lines, it may be in the best interest of the team and the player to find a trade partner for Skinner. Former Oilers defenseman Jason Strudiwck hinted at the possibility of a trade on a recent podcast. Hopefully, the Oilers do Skinner a favor by trading him to a contending team at the deadline but there has to be a solid return or else the deal isn't worth doing.

Skinner Brings Back Memories of Petr Klima

If the Oilers can't find a suitable trade partner for Skinner or bring back a solid player, they might be wise to wait until the end to see if that can revive him. This situation reminds me a lot of the early 1990s when the Oilers had a talented but inconsistent Petr Klima on their roster. In Game 1 of the 1990 Stanley Cup finals against the Boston Bruins, he was benched for the majority of the game, until the gassed Oilers forced him to put his new legs on the ice. He was subbed off with Jari Kurri and Craig McTavish and scored the game-winning goal against former Oilers goaltender Andy Moog in the third overtime period. It was a moment that changed the fortunes of Klima and the Oilers as he became a folk hero in Edmonton, and the late player achieved redemption from that point on in his NHL career.

Could Skinner be the second coming of Klima? It is possible. Especially if there are injuries and/or suspensions to the Oilers' front nine. He could be the insurance the team needs. But the playoffs are still a long way off right now, and the Oilers can't afford the riders on their roster.

Keep an eye out for Skinner at the March 7 NHL Trade Deadline

We'll see if Oilers general manager Stan Bowman is a “hold em or fold em” type of guy. If he can get a solid return for Skinner, you can bet he'll make the trade happen. But if he doesn't, it might be wise to keep him as playoff insurance. Much has been written that the gamble of signing Skinner (and Arvidsson) came at the cost of losing Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway in a doubleheader for St. Louis Blues.

Related: Oilers have a goal on their back

The Oilers' signings of Ty Emberson and Vasily Podkolzin helped ease some of the pain for Oilers fans, as they both filled in for the power of the departed Broberg and Holloway. However, there is still that “what if?” The question is about the loss of two first-round draft picks in Broberg and Holloway and how they will contribute this season. Part of the anger about the double offer sheet was directed at both Skinner and CEO Jackson. But all is not lost. They can use him as bait in a trade for another forward or defenseman, or hold on to him and hope he creates some Klima magic come the postseason. Either way, it will be interesting to see what happens.