In a significant roster move, veteran forward Jeff Skinner was placed on unconditional waivers by the San Jose Sharks on Monday to terminate his one-year, $3 million contract, as per reports by Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.
Previously, Skinner signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the Sharks last July. He had an impressive season, as the forward has posted six goals, 13 points, 56 shots on net, and 17 hits across 32 appearances with San Jose in the 2025-26 season. After his contract gets terminated, he will become an unrestricted free agent. This decision by the Sharks would bring a huge shift in Skinner’s tenure and would prompt speculation regarding the veteran forward’s next landing spot.
Veteran forward Jeff Skinner put on unconditional waivers for contract termination
Veteran forward Jeff Skinner was placed on unconditional waivers by the San Jose Sharks on Monday for purposes of terminating his one-year, $3 million contract on Monday. Announcing the same, NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman wrote on his X/Twitter handle, “Jeff Skinner (SJ) on unconditional waivers for purposes of contract termination. ”
As for his performance, the 33-year-old forward has recorded 6 goals and 13 points with 56 shots in 32 games this season, but has been a healthy scratch for the last 10 outings before the Olympic break.
He was acquired last July after playing with Edmonton and a buyout from the Buffalo Sabres, but couldn’t secure a consistent lineup spot amid roster crunches.
As per reports, Skinner joined the Sharks on a one-year deal worth $3 million that he signed in July, followed by a similar arrangement with the Edmonton Oilers for the previous season. In the 2024-25 season, he achieved 16 goals and 29 points in 72 games with Edmonton, also contributing one goal and two points during their playoff run to the Stanley Cup Final.
Skinner also has an illustrious career in the NHL so far. The player had played an impressive 1,110 career games, and he has amassed 379 goals and 712 points. He scored over 30 goals in five seasons, achieving a personal best of 40 goals with the Buffalo Sabres during the 2018-19 season.
If he clears the waivers unclaimed, Skinner would become an unrestricted free agent to sign elsewhere, freeing $3 million in cap space for San Jose. As Skinner’s time with the Sharks comes to an end, his future in the NHL remains uncertain. However, as many clubs are looking for potential candidates for their team, his NHL performance and experience may attract interest from other teams in need of a seasoned forward.
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