After a tumultuous 2024-25 season with the Edmonton Oilers, which saw him in and out of the lineup, Jeff Skinner signed last summer with the San Jose Sharks, hoping for a greater opportunity.

That appeared to be the case early on in the season, but in mid-January, Skinner found himself a healthy scratch, missing each of the Sharks’ last 10 games before the Olympic break. And on Monday, the Sharks placed him on unconditional waivers for the purpose of termination, allowing the team to clear his $3 million cap hit, and for the winger to find a new NHL home.

Skinner, 33, has appeared in 32 games this season, scoring six goals and 13 points.

Drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes seventh overall in the 2010 draft, Skinner became one of the league’s most consistent goal scorers, averaging over 30 goals per 82 games through the first eight years of his career there. Traded to the Buffalo Sabres in August 2018, Skinner scored a career high 40 goals in his first season there, but consistency became an issue.

The Sabres bought out the final three years of an eight-year, $9 million AAV deal, ahead of July 2025, which allowed him to be a free agent for the first time. Operating as the Oilers’ interim general manager, Jeff Jackson would put pen to paper with Skinner on a one-year, $3 million deal ahead of last season.

He would have a solid season, scoring 16 goals and 29 points in depth role on the team, while averaging what was then the fewest minutes per night of his career, at 13 minutes. Come the postseason, though, Skinner found himself on the outside looking in, playing just five playoff games — the first of his career — scoring a goal and two points.

And if he clears waivers on Tuesday, he’ll become an unrestricted free agent for the second time in his career.

Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s managing editor, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the Daily Faceoff DFS Hockey Report. He can be followed on X at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach.laing@bettercollective.com.