Speculation: Jeff Skinner has no plans to leave the Oilers

[SeanMoneyHands]

Veteran Oiler Won't Leave Team Without "Firm Push" [Report]

Jeff Skinner might not be getting the opportunities he'd like with the Edmonton Oilers, but he's not leaving the team without a firm push.

nhltradetalk.com

He was a health scratch last game and has been on the 4th line lately. Sounds like he wants his first taste at the playoffs. And i could see him be willing to re-up in edmonton this summer.

Click to read more...

 

[Epictetus]

Why would Edmonton want him back if he's been so bad tho?

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

Why would Edmonton want him back if he's been so bad tho?

Because they don't want to hurt his feelings.

 

[Stealth JD]

Summer of Jackson!

 

[nerevarine]

He's done okay in a limited role, not sure why everyone is hating on the guy. Not like hes pulling huge money anyways

 

[Jacob]

Depth role? They Kruegered him.

 

[Three On Zero]

Title is misleading given the content, but we all knew Skinner wasnt going to turn things around in Edmonton.

 

[VeteranPresence]

Skinner responded well to his healthy scratch with a goal and an assist in back-to-back games so not sure what the fuss is about. That's exactly what you want to see from a guy like him.

I am still not convinced Knoblauch has been handling him very well- there are other players who deserved a seat in the press box long before he ended up there- but if Skinner is dead set on not waiving his NMC, he has to put in an honest effort on a third scoring line every night. That will get easier when he has a better center than Mattias Janmark closer to the deadline, but for now he is doing what he can with what he has. Non-story IMO.

 

[belair]

It's a lot easier to take criticism when you're team is doing well. That's something that Skinner isn't used to. From a fan perspective, it's the same, too.

"Oh, your summer UFA is underperforming?" Yeah. But if he starts putting it together in the second half, we're talking about Jeff Skinner.

 

[Pablo El Perro]

So, he's not quitting? I don't get the title.

 

[Fourier]

Skinner has 7 5 vs 5 goals so far in a rather limited role. There are 131, or an average of 4 forwards per team, with more 5 vs 5 goals. There are 200 forwards making more than $3M. The issue has been away from the puck. Early in the year his lines tended to bleed goals. Recently, this has changed. He seems to be buying into Knoblauch's system defensively and with that his offense is not really suffering.

A big unkonwn is what his role might be when Kane comes back.

 

[TheNumber4]

NONE of that article has any actual quotes from Skinner or anyone involved in Oilers management.

Skinner being on the "outs" has always been pure speculation from media and fans.

IMO, there was never any worry the experiment with Skinner would end early. Oilers and Skinner are going to see this through. And my bet is that it pays off in a big way.

He's played great on a 4th line role. Providing more offensive punch from the 4th line than at any other time in the McDavid era. After generating chance after chance from the 4th line role since he's got there, he finally was rewarded with a goal and an assist and Knoblauch immediately used him on a line with McDrai in that same game.

IMO, his role in the bottom 6 is only to get him more acclimated to the style of play and defence that the Oilers have. Once he learns that and continues to do what Jeff Skinner does best, he'll be back in a Top 6 role in no time. And even if he isn't, the Oilers bottom 6 having extra offensive punch is not a bad thing to have.

 

[spaghtti]

Veteran Oiler Won't Leave Team Without "Firm Push" [Report]

Jeff Skinner might not be getting the opportunities he'd like with the Edmonton Oilers, but he's not leaving the team without a firm push.

nhltradetalk.com

View attachment 957252

He was a health scratch last game and has been on the 4th line lately. Sounds like he wants his first taste at the playoffs. And i could see him be willing to re-up in edmonton this summer.

What your proposal, trade rumour? This doesn't seem like the right place for this thread

 

[McFlash97]

He's done okay in a limited role, not sure why everyone is hating on the guy. Not like hes pulling huge money anyways

Cause he plays for the Oilers. It's auto hate by the the usual suspects

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

They should trade him before tdl so he can miss the playoffs again

 

[Breakers]

He better get ready for PTO’s after this year

He may be able to squeak a couple into one way deals

Then he is done

 

[Mr Positive]

So, he's not quitting? I don't get the title.

Lots of Oiler fans fantasize about trading him, but of course he has a full NMC so he has to want to leave. So part of the fantasy is that he does want out.

 

[Pablo El Perro]

Lots of Oiler fans fantasize about trading him, but of course he has a full NMC so he has to want to leave. So part of the fantasy is that he does want out.

Yeah, giving a guy a nmc on a cheap one year deal is just that .

 

[LTIR]

Lots of Oiler fans fantasize about trading him, but of course he has a full NMC so he has to want to leave. So part of the fantasy is that he does want out.

Oilers fans are fine with fantasizing about guys like Hyman, Henrique , Kane , Skinner and Kapanen producing from bottom 6

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Depth role? They Kruegered him.

Maybe Kruger had solid reasons after all.

Funny that this exact same thing is happening by a respected coach after Sabres fans shit on Krueger for half a decade for doing it.

 

[ChaoticOrange]

Why would Edmonton want him back if he's been so bad tho?

Honestly he hasn’t been. Hes been the victim of some pretty shoddy goaltending and wound up in Knoblauch’s doghouse for some slipshod defence, but he’s generally been okay. Not great, but not awful.

 

[Three On Zero]

Yeah, giving a guy a nmc on a cheap one year deal is just that .

A full NMC on a one year deal should be a HUGE red flag

 

[Pablo El Perro]

A full NMC on a one year deal should be a HUGE red flag

That and his buyout pays him more than the deal.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

Honestly he hasn’t been. Hes been the victim of some pretty shoddy goaltending and wound up in Knoblauch’s doghouse for some slipshod defence, but he’s generally been okay. Not great, but not awful.

Wait, you mean Skinner is getting scapegoated for shit he didn’t do? Whoa, glad that didn’t happen in Buffalo..

 

[Mr Positive]

Oilers fans are fine with fantasizing about guys like Hyman, Henrique , Kane , Skinner and Kapanen producing from bottom 6

I am one of them. Skinner needs to mesh with this team but once he does he will be important. I bet he's a fixture of the top six by playoff time. That's my fantasy. Maybe that will be a key event in McDavid ramping up his production

Honestly he hasn’t been. Hes been the victim of some pretty shoddy goaltending and wound up in Knoblauch’s doghouse for some slipshod defence, but he’s generally been okay. Not great, but not awful.

On a true contender like the Oilers hope to be, having poor defense is awful. Skinner is tantalizing but either he can't do defense and therefore shouldn't play a single playoff game, or he figures out defense and becomes a likely playoff hero. He's a risky add but I like that