One-on-one with Oilers’ forward Jeff Skinner

Jeff Skinner has been a goal scorer since his first season in the NHL. He ranks ninth for most goals by an 18-year-old in NHL history, when he tallied 31 goals in 2010-11 with the Carolina Hurricanes. Only Sidney Crosby (39) and Patrik Laine (36) have scored more since 1987.

Skinner signed a one-year, $3m AAV contract with the Oilers on day one of free agency, and now Edmonton’s roster has four of the 45 players who’ve scored 90+ goals over the past three seasons with Leon Draisaitl (148), Connor McDavid (140), Zach Hyman (117) and Skinner (92).

Skinner’s best attribute is scoring goals, but the main reason he signed in Edmonton was because he felt it was the best chance to end his playoff drought. Skinner has skated in 1,006 regular season games, but he’s yet to experience the playoffs. Skinner mentioned that as the main reason he opted to sign in Edmonton, as well as the opportunity to play with McDavid and Draisaitl.

Instead of asking him about that in our interview, I opted to start in a different direction.

Jason Gregor: McDavid and Draisaitl are different in how they generate offence. McDavid often attacks more with speed, while Draisaitl slows the game down. Is there a style that fits better with your skillset?

Jeff Skinner: I’m not going to be too picky about their style (laughs), but no, I think it’s hard to say. I think that in order to have success all three guys on the line have to be clicking. Obviously, some guys do complement each other a little bit different, but what’s nice about those two players is that even though their styles are different, they still find a way to complement different types of players. I think the onus is on me as a winger to adapt.

I think the winger has to sort of read off the centreman a lot of times because the puck can be in the middle a lot more, they’re around the puck a little bit more. So as a winger, I’m going to want to read off them. And those two guys they create a lot of space so that makes the job a little bit easier than (playing with) other guys. I’m looking forward to being on the same team.

Gregor: Compared to when you debuted in 2010-11 the game has really opened up lately.  How have you had to evolve and change your game to allow you to continue to score at the rate you have?

Skinner: I think every player who sticks around, they have to sort of try and adapt and tweak little things. I don’t know if there’s really one thing I can put my finger on. When I go back in the summer and you sort of reflect on a season, you try and think about ways you can improve and areas of the game where, maybe you have to tweak your game, maybe you have to adapt a little and, and then you kind of get to work, doing that. I try and focus on those little things throughout the summer and take it into the next season and be as successful as I can.

Gregor:  This was the first time you’ve gone through unrestricted free agency. How was the process, and how stressful and/or exciting was it to have to make a decision in a very short time?

Skinner: Yeah, it was exciting. It was busy. Being the first time going through it, I didn’t really have a whole lot of experience to draw off of and I think what surprised me — I mean, I guess it shouldn’t have surprised me — but what happens in the moment is how quick things can move along.

I think everyone kind of follows along and sees the signings come off the board or start being announced, and teams have to move quickly and adapt. Being on the other side as a player, you have to do the same, and for me I was fortunate that Edmonton was there and interested in me the whole time.

And when it came down to making my decision that actually played quite a bit of a role. The fact that they showed interest right away and were consistent in it, it made me feel like they saw me as a piece that could help contribute. And obviously, like you said, there’s some good players and it’s a really good team. So those boxes were already checked.

Gregor: How closely were you watching the Stanley cup playoffs?

Skinner: I saw the finals for sure, but the first couple of rounds, I wasn’t watching as closely. And then as the rounds move along, I spend my off seasons in Toronto, so you can’t really get away from it even if you try, but I certainly watched the final.

I saw the incredible run they went on, and I’m sure there’s a ton of lessons and experience that they’ve learned through that. And I’m looking forward to kind of learning as much as I can from those guys having been through that.

Gregor: In the past, and even this season, current Oiler players have called free agents and pitched them on Edmonton. Did you have any of the players reach out to try and convince you to come?

Skinner: Not during the day, however, I spoke to Jeff Jackson and the coach Knoblauch. And during the process, sort of before I had signed, they offered for that (talk to Oilers players) to happen. Things were moving along so fast and you’re trying to assess situations and options as they move along. So, I’m not sure that there would have been even time for me to entertain that.

But I know enough guys who have been around the league, even guys who used to play in Edmonton. There’s usually one degree of separation between almost everyone in hockey. So, actually one of my good friends is Ryan Strome and he spent some time in Edmonton and had nothing but good things to say. He knows a lot of the guys there. I think you reach out to different people you know, and you trust, and all I heard were good things and I’m really excited and happy that Edmonton gave me the opportunity. I actually played minor hockey with Zach Hyman so it will be fun to play with him again.

Gregor: You started your career in Carolina, after they drafted you seventh overall, and you jumped right into the NHL at 18. You had an excellent rookie year scoring 31 goals, and you’ve been quite consistent for the majority of your career. Really outside of the two years, in 2020 and 2021, around COVID — those are the only two years where your production dipped. What happened those years? Were you banged up?

Skinner: I don’t know. I don’t think I was injured. I think I just kind of had a couple of down seasons. And for me, trying to find my way out of that and trying and get back on track was a bit of a challenge. I leaned on a lot of close family and friends who helped support me through that time. You just have to battle your way back and work your way through it when you go through adversity or when you go through down years. I think it happens to most guys who play hockey or play sports.

I think it’s how you respond when things don’t go your way or if things do go your way, how you try and figure out how to keep things rolling. So, I think that those few years I learned a lot. I learned how to find my way out of it, and I was proud how I’ve produced since.

Gregor: Well, you definitely found your way out of it tying your career high in points in 2022 with 63 and then you blew that out of the water with 82 points in 2023. Did you become mentally tougher or mentally more mature after those two years?

Skinner: Maybe. I mean, I don’t know if you could break it down to just that, but I do think that any season you go through, I think there’s lessons to be learned. Even if you have a great season, you have things that you want to work on. And those seasons when things don’t go your way, things get magnified and as a result, maybe you learn the lessons a little harder or maybe they’re a little bit more obvious and they hurt a little bit more. But overall, I think every season is about trying to learn some things and you try and take them through to the next season. And that’s what the benefit of having experience gives you.

Gregor: Adam Henrique said one of the big reasons why he came back to Edmonton, was the playoff experience for him and his wife, who had never experienced playoffs. You’ve yet to play in the playoffs. How excited are you not only just about the playoffs, but the playoffs in a Canadian market?

Skinner: I think everyone who watches hockey sort of saw the run the guys went on last year and witnessed how much passion their fans have and how much excitement there was in the city.

And as a player, that’s kind of why you play, to be a part of something like that. I think this group is pretty good, but there’s still a lot of work to do. We have to start from game one, I think there’s some good potential and we’ve got a good group of guys and I’d definitely like to see and to feel that excitement.

BETWEEN TWO STALLS…