After 1,078 NHL games, veteran Edmonton Oilers left winger Jeff Skinner will finally make his Stanley Cup playoff debut Monday night against the Los Angeles Kings.
Skinner, 32, signed a one-year, $3-million deal with the Oilers on July 1, 2024, hoping to join a legitimate contender and end the longest individual playoff drought in NHL history. Signing with the Oilers got him in, but with some players returning from injury and an up-and-down season, Skinner has a chance to prove he deserves to stay in the lineup.
“I would think, at this point in his career, there is a relief to it and a real excitement for him,” Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice, who coached Skinner in Carolina, told NHL.com. “You find as these men get older, they cherish that part of the game, the playoff experience, more than any other.”
This past off-season, Skinner was seen as an upgrade at forward. He was a proven goal-scorer in the NHL, and the assumption was that with the elite players on the Oilers’ roster, he’d fit in seamlessly, potting as many as 25 to 30 goals.
That didn’t exactly happen. He scored only six goals from October to December, and his playing time was limited to 12:55 per game. Even though he was producing a bit in a limited role, he was made a healthy scratch for 10 games.
He finished the season with 72 games, but his ice time was cut, playing fewer than 10 minutes in nine games.
At one point in the season, Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch was asked what it would take for Skinner to get more ice time.
“Just play good hockey,” he told reporters.
The coach later clarified those comments as they weren’t meant to be as harsh as they sounded, but the narrative was already circulating that Skinner wouldn’t be given many opportunities.
Ultimately, Skinner began to improve his play in January and beyond. When injuries struck the Oilers in March, he was called upon to play a more significant role. He delivered, finding chemistry on the first line with Oilers captain Connor McDavid and Connor Brown. He notched nine goals and 14 points in his final 29 games while posting a plus-10 rating.
The Oilers still have a few injuries hampering the team, so Skinner is confirmed to play in Game 1. He has earned the right to be there and is finally getting his shot.
“It’s a good feeling,” Skinner said. “You kind of work towards it all year, and we worked together towards it, and now we try to get rolling.”
McDavid made a point of honoring Skinner’s journey, awarding him the team’s championship belt after Edmonton clinched a post-season berth with a win over San Jose on April 11.
“It’s exciting for him to get that opportunity,” McDavid said. “It’s the best time of year.”
But there are some lineup decisions the Oilers must make.
Knoblauch confirmed that Mattias Ekholm, Evander Kane and Troy Stecher will not dress for the game on Monday. Brett Kulak is expected to return after the birth of his child, and Trent Frederic remains a game-time decision.
When Kane and Frederic rejoin the roster, Skinner may need to prove he belongs in a playoff lineup that expects to go on a deep run.
That means finishing his chances and creating on offense, all while not being a liability on defense.
“He’s been a really productive player for a really long time,” said Zach Hyman, who grew up playing hockey with Skinner. Like McDavid, the players seem to want Skinner in.
That said, Skinner isn’t on the power play, and he doesn’t kill penalties. If the Oilers are prioritizing defense before offense, they might not have faith in Skinner’s 200-foot game. And, with the Oilers coming in as possible underdogs versus the Kings, there’s little room for error.
This just means every game for Skinner is not just a new playoff experience but an audition. He finally has the chance to chase the Stanley Cup, but while he does, he’ll be playing to prove he belongs.
When the Oilers get healthy, it’s not clear who Edmonton will take out first.
Perhaps Skinner avoids being on the chopping block, and someone like Kasperi Kapanen or Max Jones is scratched first. After all, Skinner can still provide some depth scoring that the team frequently seeks.
In fact, Skinner might be the most motivated player on the ice. He’s waited his whole career to experience these moments. It will be intriguing to see how he responds to the moment.
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