The San Jose Sharks and left wing Jeff Skinner have agreed to contract termination after he passed through unconditional waivers. He will become an unrestricted free agent.
Skinner became the odd man out in San Jose’s forward group. His last appearance as a Shark was on Jan. 11 against the Vegas Golden Knights and had been a healthy scratch ever since.
‘The last few games I played, I felt like I was contributing positively to the team,’ Skinner told San Jose Hockey Now on Jan. 27. ‘I don’t know. Two weeks ago, I don’t think I forgot how to play. I’m pretty confident in myself to be able to contribute at this level.’
NHL teams looking for more secondary scoring could consider pursuing the veteran.
While he has only six goals and 13 points in 32 games this season, the six-time 30-goal scorer’s past success could generate some interest from teams.
Let’s look at three potential NHL landing spots for Skinner.
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings stand out as an interesting potential landing spot for Skinner after some injury news this week.
With the Kings confirming that left wing Kevin Fiala is out for the rest of the regular season after suffering fractures in his lower left leg during the Olympics, it would make sense for them to add another skilled forward.
While Skinner may not be as effective a player as Fiala at this stage of his career, he could give the Kings some secondary scoring if he bounces back. He wouldn’t have to move too far from San Jose, either.
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning lead the Eastern Conference standings and rank second in goals-for per game.
That said, the team has a lot of two-way forwards in their bottom six, and it could use a little more scoring power if the Lightning want to be even more dangerous the rest of the season and playoffs.
Skinner would give them another option for their third line. He could even be a useful extra forward to have around for the Lightning, especially with their injury trouble this season.
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are having an excellent 2025-26 season but are 7-7-2 since Jan. 1. They would benefit by improving their depth on the wing.
The Avalanche would be wise to consider signing him to a cheaper deal than the $3 million cap hit he had with the Sharks.
Skinner could provide the Avalanche’s fourth line with a bit more offense, as rookies Gavin Brindley and Zakhar Bardakov have 11 and nine points in 42 games, respectively. Skinner would also give them another option for their struggling power play, which ranks last in the NHL at a 15.1 percent success rate.
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