The contract
Edmonton Oilers signal winger Jeff Skinner to a one-year cope with a $3 million AAV.
Every time anybody ever talks about Jeff Skinner, it appears, all they will ever do is concentrate on the negatives, the issues he can’t do. Can’t play in visitors. Doesn’t go arduous to the web. Too small at 5-11. Too slight at 187. Easy skater — that’s the determine skating background — however vulnerable to lengthy stretches of time when the goalscoring can go ice chilly. Not nice for somebody primarily often known as a scorer. And, up till the Buffalo Sabres purchased out the ultimate three years of his contract the opposite day, a participant vastly overpaid for what he produces. Skinner isn’t, and perhaps by no means was, a $9 million per 12 months participant.
After all, none of which actually issues to the Oilers, who took a calculated danger Monday and signed Skinner to a one-year deal value $3 million. The Oilers added Skinner as soon as the early rush to signal gamers slowed down. Now that his wage has shrunk by two-thirds, the danger/reward ratio immediately tilts slightly extra favorably within the course of the participant. As a result of Skinner is simply 32. He does have 1,006 NHL video games underneath his belt. He was the Calder Trophy winner because the NHL’s rookie of the 12 months in 2011 — and even in a down 12 months like final 12 months, nonetheless scored 24 targets in 74 video games. In Edmonton, solely Zach Hyman, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl scored greater than 24 targets final season. And previous to this 12 months, Skinner had posted consecutive 30-goal seasons. So, he undoubtedly represents a chance value taking.
From Skinner’s perspective, Edmonton is a beautiful vacation spot primarily for one motive. In a profession that started 14 years in the past, he’s by no means performed in a single NHL playoff sport. That’s an NHL document. With the Oilers, on condition that they had been inside a sport of successful the Stanley Cup this previous season, he’ll nearly actually get an opportunity to finish that drought. Together with Viktor Arvidsson signed earlier within the day, the Oilers added two pure scorers to their high 9 — for affordable {dollars}. Contemplating what number of gamers had been already off the board by the point Skinner got here to phrases, that’s an honest late-in-the-game transfer.
Contract grade: B
Match grade: B
(Photograph: Invoice Wippert / NHLI by way of Getty Photos)