The San Jose Sharks have placed veteran forward Jeff Skinner on unconditional waivers with the intention of terminating his contract, according to reports. Skinner, who signed a one-year deal worth $3 million last summer, has struggled with six goals and 13 points in 32 games this season. If he clears waivers, he will become an unrestricted free agent seeking a new team.
The San Jose Sharks announced on Monday that they have placed forward Jeff Skinner on unconditional waivers for the purpose of contract termination, as reported by Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. This move signals the end of what was intended as a fresh start for the 33-year-old winger in San Jose.
Skinner joined the Sharks as an unrestricted free agent in July 2024, signing a one-year contract valued at $3 million. In 32 games this season, he recorded six goals, seven assists, and 13 points while posting a minus-8 rating. He has been a healthy scratch multiple times and last played on January 11 against the Vegas Golden Knights. Additionally, Skinner missed time due to a lower-body injury in November.
A former Calder Trophy winner, Skinner was selected seventh overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2010 NHL Draft. As an 18-year-old rookie in the 2010-11 season, he scored 31 goals and 63 points, earning the league's top rookie award. He has reached the 30-goal mark six times in his career but has seen his production decline in recent years.
Skinner spent his first eight seasons with the Hurricanes before being traded to the Buffalo Sabres in 2018. In his debut season with Buffalo, he achieved a career-high 40 goals, leading to an eight-year, $9 million per season extension. The Sabres bought out the remaining three years of that contract in the summer of 2024.
He then signed with the Edmonton Oilers for the 2024-25 season, where he posted 16 goals and 29 points in 72 regular-season games. However, his playoff role was limited to five games in the Stanley Cup Final run, where he earned two points—his only postseason experience in 16 NHL seasons.
Overall, Skinner has played 1,110 regular-season games, accumulating 379 goals and 712 points across stints with the Hurricanes, Sabres, Oilers, and Sharks. With the NHL trade deadline approaching in just over two weeks, Skinner now faces an uncertain future as a potential free agent.
