Edmonton Oilers’ forward Jeff Skinner looks set to make his playoff debut after 15 years of missing the postseason. His fight to this moment has been long and complicated, but the veteran forward will finally get his first glimpse of the intensity of the postseason at 32. He’ll be the most experienced player ever in terms of regular season games played to make his playoff debut, but it is a debut that he will make when round one begins.
Skinner’s NHL start
Skinner started his career brightly with the Carolina Hurricanes . His background as a figure skater gave him an advantage in a league still transitioning from the old mantra of size and strength to the new speed of the league. Skinner came into the 2010-11 season and won the Calder Trophy as the league’s best rookie. He had a bright future ahead of him following a season where he had more than 30 goals and 60 points.
However, that never came in Carolina. As the years ticked by, the Hurricanes couldn’t make the postseason, and Skinner continued to be denied. Despite his best efforts, the support wasn’t there for the Hurricanes to make that next step and the postseason. Skinner played there until August 2nd, 2018, when he was traded to the Buffalo Sabres .
Skinner’s time in Buffalo also started well as he hit the 40-goal mark for the first time in his career and tied his career high in points at the time. He would go on to hit the 82-point mark as a Sabre, but he couldn’t get that elusive playoff debut. In the summer of 2024, the Sabres bought him out of his contract. Buffalo’s loss was Edmonton’s gain .
Skinner’s Role in Edmonton
Skinner’s role in Edmonton has significantly differed from his roles in Carolina and Buffalo. In both eastern cities, he was a pillar of the core. He was expected to be one of the driving forces behind the teams’ offense. It’s not been the case in Edmonton. He’s gotten to enjoy a backseat to with some of the best players in the NHL driving the offense instead.
In 72 games this season, Skinner has 16 goals and 13 assists for 29 points. That is the lowest total he has ever put up across a full 82-game season. While Skinner has struggled in some of the shorter seasons, this has been the worst full season of his career for production. He will make the playoffs for the first time because he’s not expected to carry the load for the Oilers.
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Not being expected to lead the team into the fight isn’t the same as being a passenger. Skinner will need to continue to support the roster with scoring. That’s one of the keys the Oilers need to make noise in the postseason. As the Oilers’ injuries pile up, players like Skinner must fill the gaps left by the players in the treatment room.
Skinner may require time to adjust to the intensity of the playoffs because they are different from regular-season games. Everything gets shifted to sixth gear in the postseason, and that will be new for Skinner. But this player has played 1078 NHL games, 373 goals, and 699 points. He’ll adjust, but it may take time. His skating will significantly benefit the Oilers, even if he leaves something to be desired in the defensive zone. The postseason is a different beast, so who knows what awaits in Jeff Skinner’s playoffs.
Main Photo: Neville E. Guard- Imagn Images
The post Jeff Skinner Looks Set to Play in His First Playoff Series appeared first on Last Word On Hockey .