San Jose Sharks place jeff skinner on unconditional waivers to terminate contract
Waiver move and immediate implications
The San Jose Sharks placed veteran left wing Jeff Skinner on unconditional waivers Monday for the purpose of terminating his contract, the team announced. Should Skinner clear waivers, he will become an unrestricted free agent on Tuesday.
What the move means for Skinner and the Sharks
The transaction is a formal step toward ending Skinner's one-year, $3 million deal with San Jose. A veteran of more than a thousand NHL games, Skinner's availability on the open market will give other clubs the opportunity to add an experienced scorer before the trade deadline. For the Sharks, the move severs a short-term commitment and clears the roster spot and cap considerations tied to the one-year agreement.
Season statistics and recent usage
This season Skinner has recorded six goals and 13 points in 32 games with the Sharks. He last skated for San Jose on Jan. 11 and had been a healthy scratch leading into the Olympic break. His season was also interrupted by a lower-body injury in November, which contributed to time missed.
Across his 32-game stint with the Sharks, Skinner’s average time on ice dropped to the lowest mark of his 16-year career, averaging roughly 12: 21 per game, and he finished with a minus-eight rating during that span. Those usage patterns and a reduced offensive role factored into San Jose’s decision to place him on unconditional waivers.
Recent form and playoff experience
Skinner signed with the Sharks in July after spending the 2024-25 season with the Edmonton Oilers on the same one-year, $3 million terms. With Edmonton he posted 16 goals and 29 points in 72 regular-season games and made his first Stanley Cup Final appearance, contributing one goal and two points across five playoff games during the Oilers’ run to the Final.
Career overview
Drafted seventh overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2010, Skinner has compiled 379 goals and 712 points in 1, 110 career NHL games across stints with Carolina, the Buffalo Sabres, the Edmonton Oilers and the San Jose Sharks. He is a multi-time 30-goal scorer, highlighted by a career-best 40-goal season in 2018-19, and he won the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s rookie of the year after posting 31 goals and 63 points in 82 games in 2010-11.
Skinner’s career has included periods of high production as well as more recent years of fluctuation. After a lengthy spell in Buffalo and subsequent shorter terms in Edmonton and San Jose, the forward’s role and on-ice opportunities have varied, leading to the current outcome.
Next steps and market outlook
If Skinner clears waivers and becomes an unrestricted free agent on Tuesday, he will be eligible to sign with any team. With the NHL trade deadline approaching in just over two weeks, teams looking for experienced depth up front or a veteran presence for a playoff push could express interest. General managers will weigh Skinner’s scoring history and playoff experience against recent usage patterns and the downshift in ice time when considering a potential acquisition.
Context from recent reporting
The move to place Skinner on unconditional waivers for contract termination was multiple outlets on Monday. Coverage noted the one-year deal signed in July, his statistics with the Sharks and the Oilers in recent seasons, and his standing as a former Calder Trophy winner and long-time NHL scorer. If unclaimed, his status as a free agent will mark another chapter in a 16-year professional career.
