The San Jose Sharks have placed veteran forward Jeff Skinner on unconditional waivers with the goal of mutual contract termination, as confirmed by sources on Monday. This decision comes just weeks ahead of the NHL trade deadline.
If Skinner is not claimed by any NHL team by Tuesday, he will become an unrestricted free agent and will have the opportunity to sign with any club. To be eligible for the playoffs, he must be on a team’s roster by the March 6 trade deadline.
The Sharks had initially signed Skinner, 33, to a one-year, $3 million deal in July, anticipating that he could contribute significantly as a top-six forward. However, his performance fell short of expectations, with only four goals and seven points accumulated over 26 games. Skinner’s season was further impacted by a lower-body injury that kept him sidelined for ten games from mid-November to early December. Recently, he had been a healthy scratch for the last ten games prior to the Olympic break, as other players stepped up and secured their spots in the lineup.
Throughout this season, Skinner has recorded 13 points in 32 games, averaging just over 12 minutes of ice time per game. As a seventh overall draft pick in 2010, he is experiencing the latter stages of his 16-year NHL career, during which he has amassed 712 points in 1,110 games.
Despite speculation about his fit on the team, Skinner expressed his desire to continue playing at a high level, emphasizing his recent performance before being scratched. He stated, “I don’t think I forgot how to play. I’m pretty confident in myself to be able to contribute at this level.”
With Skinner’s departure, the Sharks’ active roster now stands at 22 players, still below the maximum allowed. The team currently has two players on injured reserve: forwards Ryan Reaves, who is day-to-day with an upper-body injury, and Ty Dellandrea, who has been out since early January with a lower-body injury.
Looking ahead, the Sharks will resume practice later this week and are set to play their first game after the Olympic break on February 26 against the Calgary Flames, kicking off a six-game homestand. The Sharks entered the break on a four-game losing streak, sitting in 11th place in the Western Conference and five points shy of a playoff spot.
Additionally, four players from the Sharks are competing in the Olympics, showcasing their talents on an international stage. Among them, forward Macklin Celebrini is currently tied for second in overall scoring with six points in three games. The ongoing performances of these players are certainly a source of positivity for the franchise, indicating the potential for future talent development.