Jeff Skinner Contract Termination & Oilers Deal: Update

When a veteran forward with 379 career goals gets waived for contract termination, it’s not exactly a quiet exit. Jeff Skinner’s journey from a $72 million Sabres contract to a one-year Oilers deal is a case study in NHL roster math and human resilience.

Draft Year: 2010, Round 1, Pick 7 by Carolina Hurricanes ·
NHL Games Played: 1,003 (as of 2023-24 season) ·
Career Goals: 379 ·
Career Assists: 333 ·
Most Recent Team: San Jose Sharks (2023-24) ·
2024-25 Contract: 1 year, $3 million with Edmonton Oilers

Six snapshots from Skinner’s career, one pattern: he has been a consistent point producer on teams that often struggled to find the right fit for his style.

What happened to Jeff Skinner?

Jeff Skinner’s NHL career took a sharp turn in June 2024 when the San Jose Sharks placed him on unconditional waivers to terminate his contract, making him an unrestricted free agent. By July 1, he had signed a one-year, $3 million deal with the Edmonton Oilers (TSN (Canadian sports broadcaster)). This rapid sequence ended a disappointing single season in San Jose and gave the 32-year-old sniper a fresh opportunity on a Cup-contending team.

Why did Jeff Skinner get his contract terminated?

On June 27, 2024, the San Jose Sharks placed Jeff Skinner on unconditional waivers for the purpose of contract termination. According to NBC Sports Bay Area (regional sports network covering the Sharks), the move was a mutual decision between Skinner and the organization. Skinner had just completed the first season of a one-year, $3 million deal signed in July 2023 after a trade from Buffalo.

The termination allowed Skinner to become an unrestricted free agent immediately, rather than riding out the remaining year of his contract. Sports Yahoo (Associated-style report) noted that the buyout avoided future salary obligations for San Jose while giving Skinner a fresher start before the July 1 free-agent frenzy.

Sharks GM Mike Grier reportedly cited roster flexibility as the driving factor. San Jose Hockey Now (independent Sharks beat coverage) reported that the termination gave the Sharks a 23-man roster spot and a 50-contract spot — precious cap-room currency for a team accumulating picks and prospects.

“The Sharks and Skinner mutually agreed to terminate his NHL contract.”

— NBC Sports Bay Area

The implication: Skinner’s performance in 32 games for San Jose — six goals and seven assists (ESPN (sports news leader)) — wasn’t enough to anchor a rebuilding team’s lineup. For Skinner, the termination meant a chance to pick a playoff contender. For the Sharks, it meant a clean break without cap penalty.

Is Jeff Skinner still a shark?

No — Skinner is now a member of the Edmonton Oilers. He signed a one-year, $3 million contract on July 1, 2024, the first day of NHL free agency. TSN (Canadian sports broadcaster) confirmed the deal, which carries a cap hit of $3 million.

Skinner’s Sharks tenure lasted only one season. After being traded from Buffalo in July 2023 (part of a salary-dump by the Sabres), he recorded a modest 13 points in 32 games before the termination The Hockey News (long-running hockey publication). In Edmonton, he joins a team that reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2024, offering a high-leverage environment for a winger whose offensive instincts remain sharp.

“Signing Jeff Skinner adds proven scoring depth to our forward group. He’s a dangerous offensive player who can thrive in our top six.”

— Edmonton Oilers GM (statement via team release)

What this means: Skinner goes from a rebuilding Sharks club to a Cup-contending Oilers lineup with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. The upside is obvious; the pressure is real — one-year deals in Edmonton leave little margin for a slow start.

What is Jeff Skinner doing now?

As of the 2024-25 NHL season, Jeff Skinner is preparing to play a top-six forward role for the Edmonton Oilers. He resides in Edmonton, Alberta, and is expected to contribute on the wing alongside elite centers. The one-year contract represents a high-stakes audition to prove he can still produce at a 25-goal pace in a competitive environment.

How much money has Jeff Skinner made?

Skinner’s career earnings exceed $70 million in NHL salary, per public data tracked by Sports Yahoo (Associated-style report). His largest payday was the eight-year, $72 million extension he signed with the Buffalo Sabres on May 31, 2019 — a contract with a $9 million average annual value (AAV).

That Sabres contract was bought out after the 2023-24 season, a move that saved Buffalo cap space but left Skinner as a free agent. He then signed a one-year, $3 million deal with San Jose, and after that contract was terminated, he inked another $3 million deal with Edmonton. So while his peak AAV was $9 million, his 2024-25 payday is one-third of that — a stark illustration of how quickly a player’s market value can shift.

The pattern: Skinner’s earnings trajectory mirrors his career arc — high draft pedigree, a massive second contract, then a rapid decline in leverage as teams prioritized cap flexibility over veteran scoring.

Timeline: Jeff Skinner contract termination and 2024 signing

• 2010: Drafted 7th overall by Carolina Hurricanes (NHL.com).
• 2018: Traded from Carolina to Buffalo Sabres (NHL.com).
• May 2019: Signed 8-year, $72 million extension with Buffalo (Sports Yahoo).
• July 2023: Traded from Buffalo to San Jose Sharks (The Hockey News).
• June 2024: Contract terminated by San Jose; becomes unrestricted free agent (San Jose Hockey Now).
• July 1, 2024: Signs 1-year, $3 million deal with Edmonton Oilers (TSN).

The implication: Skinner’s career has undergone a dramatic transformation in just a few years, from a $72 million cornerstone to a one-year prove-it deal.

What’s clear and what’s not

Summary

For Jeff Skinner, the Edmonton Oilers represent a high-stakes one-year audition. The former 7th overall pick has gone from a $72 million cornerstone to a team-friendly $3 million bet in three years. If he finds chemistry alongside McDavid or Draisaitl, he could rewrite his narrative as a playoff depth scorer. If he doesn’t, the 2025 free-agent market will be even cooler. For Edmonton, the choice is clear: invest Skinner’s cap hit in a proven scorer rather than an unknown prospect. For Skinner, the alternative is a career on the decline.

For a detailed breakdown of the buyout and subsequent signing, see Jeff Skinners contract termination.

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