Photo credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
The San Jose Sharks placed forward Jeff Skinner on waivers Monday for the purpose of terminating his contract.
The news just broke, and it’s causing a stir in the hockey world today.
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet was the first to report it, confirming that the veteran will not finish the season in California.
Skinner did not have the offensive impact the Sharks had hoped for this year. He had signed a one-year, $3 million deal last July, hoping to revive his career after his stint with the Oilers. At 33 years old, the 379-goal career NHL scorer now finds himself completely free.
We can agree that the Montreal Canadiens could be shopping for a forward to add depth. Kent Hughes has flexibility with the salary cap, but is Skinner the right asset?
He brings experience, having played 1,110 NHL games, but his offensive production has been declining.
Jeff Skinner becomes free agent after Sharks move to terminate contract
It’s simple: the idea of adding a guy who can put the puck in the net is appealing to Canadiens fans.
However, Skinner has often been criticized for his play without the puck, with execution that is sometimes less reliable in the defensive zone. His transition into a mentor role did not click in San Jose as expected.
With the end of the season approaching, several teams will be watching the situation closely.
Should Montreal take a chance on him with a low-cost deal? We’ll be monitoring the coming days, but the arrival of such a veteran at the Bell Centre would certainly spark conversation.
We’ll see whether a team decides to offer him a quick second chance before the end of the week.
For now, Skinner must find a new opportunity to prove he still has something left in the tank.
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Sharks place Jeff Skinner on unconditional waivers to terminate contract
Should the Montreal Canadiens offer Jeff Skinner a contract?