REPORT:Jeff Skinner decided to sign with Edmonton after rejecting an offer from the Maple Leafs.There’s a good chance he’ll…
The 32-year-old forward has yet to play in a single playoff game throughout his 14-season NHL career, which he spent with only two different teams. There’s a good chance he’ll finally break that dry spell with the Oilers, who recently made it to the 2024 Stanley Cup Final.
The Buffalo Sabres recently bought out the final three years of Skinner’s contract, which had a $9 million cap hit. This made Skinner a highly sought-after free agent, with numerous contenders vying for the former 40-goal scorer.
Ultimately, Skinner chose to join the Oilers over all other offers, including one from his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs. According to TSN’s Chris Johnston, the Leafs tried to entice Skinner with the prospect of playing alongside their “Core Four.”
“He’s going there to win. He could have signed a one-year, three-million-dollar deal with about ten different teams,” Johnston said on Tuesday’s edition of The Chris Johnston Show. “I know the Leafs were among the teams that had talked to him, pitching the idea of playing alongside Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner.”
The Oilers were one of the most active teams on July 1, agreeing to terms with Skinner, Viktor Arvidsson, and Josh Brown, while also re-signing Adam Henrique, Corey Perry, Mattias Janmark, Connor Brown, Troy Stecher, and Calvin Pickard.
