<p>After almost 15 years since Jeff Skinner’s name was called at the 2010 NHL Draft, he finally scored his first NHL playoff goal in <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-eliminate-dallas-stars-from-2025-playoffs">last night’s win over the Dallas Stars</a>, helping the Edmonton Oilers become Western Conference champions.</p>
<p>The Oilers took <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/connor-mcdavid-scores-edmonton-oilers-series-winner-jeff-skinner-mattias-ekholm-return-lineup">Game 5</a> with a 6-3 win over the Stars, and while the job is not yet finished, the smiles said it all after the game, especially from Skinner. After all he’s been through in his NHL career, he’s finally reached <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/oilers-will-host-panthers-for-game-1-of-stanley-cup-final-on-wednesday">the Stanley Cup Final</a>.</p>
<p>Yet, it’s been a bumpy ride for Skinner this season, which makes this moment in time all the more meaningful and all the more worth looking back on the adversity he endured to get here.</p>
<h2>Skinner Struggled to Find Stability in the Oilers’ Lineup This Season</h2>
<p>The 32-year-old was signed last offseason to a <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-sign-jeff-skinner-to-one-year-3-million-contract">one-year deal worth $3 million AAV</a>, and Oilers fans were licking their chops at the thought of either Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl getting a proven finisher — a former six-time 30-goal scorer — on their line.</p>
<p>That said, Skinner started the season on Draisaitl’s line, but the chemistry didn’t seem to click early on, and by the third game, he was given a look alongside McDavid. However, with the Oilers stumbling out of the gate and losing their first three games, it felt like the coaching staff had already made up their minds about the veteran offseason addition.</p>
<p>Perhaps they noticed some defensive lapses in his game early on, as he was dropped to the bottom six from the start of the season until December, bouncing between the third and fourth lines, with only occasional spots in the top six and minimal time playing with the Oilers’ two superstars.</p>
<p>Additionally, things seemed to get worse for Skinner in late December, when he was a healthy scratch for the first time in a game against <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/oilers-healthy-scratch-jeff-skinner-for-sunday-game-against-ducks">the Anaheim Ducks on Dec. 29</a> — the first of six healthy scratches over the next month.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, despite the inconsistent linemates he was paired with, he still contributed in spurts on the scoresheet. By the time he was set to face his former team, <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/stuart-skinner-steals-the-edmonton-oilers-a-win-ryan-nugent-hopkins-stays-hot-and-jeff-skinner-gets-his-revenge-goal">the Buffalo Sabres, on Jan. 25</a>, he had already scored seven goals, and he added another one that night against them. Yet, you’d think scoring a goal would be enough to keep a player in the lineup, right? Well, that wasn’t the case for Skinner, as he was a healthy scratch again just two nights later.</p>
<p>However, full marks to the Oilers forward — he clearly got the message that the coaching staff had concerns about his game. Perhaps it was his defensive play and 200-foot game, because after being scratched in late January, that area of his game noticeably improved.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Jeff Skinner is hinting to Knoblauch that he doesn&#39;t want to watch games from the press box anymore with his strong defensive play as of late- some great back checks since the Red Wings game: <a href="https://t.co/hJBYkkOU4S">pic.twitter.com/hJBYkkOU4S</a></p>
<p>&mdash; seanpangs (@seanpangs) <a href="https://twitter.com/seanpangs/status/1886985807346458661?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>When he was inserted back into the lineup against <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/the-day-after-51-0-todd-mclellans-red-wings-show-perseverance-as-oilers-drop-winnable-game">the Detroit Red Wings on Jan. 30</a>, not only did he score his ninth goal of the campaign, but he also made one of the best backchecks I’ve seen from any Oiler this season. He read a play perfectly when his team gave up a 2-on-1, hustled back on the check, broke up the Red Wings’ attack, and continued to make numerous strong defensive plays in the games that followed.</p>
<p>Overall, it seemed like Skinner had turned the page from late January onward, adding a more defensive mindset to his game, and with injuries piling up down the playoff stretch — most notably <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-connor-mcdavid-leon-draisaitl-miss-three-games-dallas-stars-seattle-kraken-calgary-flames">to McDavid and Draisaitl </a>— Skinner appeared to be playing his best hockey of the season, putting up eight points in the final 14 games and finishing the regular season with 29 points in 72 games (16G, 13A).</p>
<h2>Skinner’s Improved Play Down the Stretch Wasn’t Enough to Keep Him in the Lineup After Game 1 vs. L.A</h2>
<p>Fast forward to the start of the playoffs — after waiting 1,078 NHL regular-season games to get the chance — Skinner finally made his long-awaited postseason debut in <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-los-angeles-kings-game-1-tactical-review">Game 1 against the Los Angeles Kings</a> on April 21. He played just over 11 minutes, tallying an assist and showed he was buying into playoff hockey by being physical, tying for second on the team with five hits. However, he was also on the ice for three goals against at 5-on-5. And, of course, history repeated itself — Skinner was healthy scratched from that point on.</p>
<p>As we know, the Oilers defeated the Kings in six games and then pushed through the Vegas Golden Knights in five. When they took a 2-1 series lead against the Stars, it didn’t seem like Skinner would play in the Western Conference Final either — until <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/oilers-fans-react-zach-hyman-season-ending-injury">Zach Hyman</a> got injured in Game 4, opening another opportunity for Skinner to get back into the lineup.</p>
<p>The 32-year-old got the nod to return to the lineup for Game 5, and, like he’s shown throughout the season despite all the highs and lows, he flashed his smile and playful side before the game. When asked if sitting out shows how good the Oilers are and how much depth they have, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pctWjUObbj4">he jokingly responded</a>, “I hope so, otherwise the other option isn’t good for me,” all while flashing that playful grin.</p>
<p>But when the puck dropped in Game 5, Skinner was all business.</p>
<p>I have to give him a tremendous amount of credit — he stayed ready both physically and mentally for when his name was called, and he didn&#8217;t disappoint. In<a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/zach-hyman-right-edmonton-oilers-back-in-stanley-cup-final"> Game 5</a>, the Oilers came out flying on all cylinders against the Stars, scoring two goals early, and Skinner’s signature playoff moment so far came at the 8:07 mark of the first period — after a big battle in front of the net, he kicked the puck to his stick and tucked it between the pads of Casey DeSmith, who had come in to relieve Jake Oettinger.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">JEFF SKINNER SCORES IN HIS RETURN TO THE LINEUP! IT&#39;S 3-0 OILERS! </p>
<p>🎥: Sportsnet | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LetsGoOilers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LetsGoOilers</a> <a href="https://t.co/YKNMgA5dIQ">pic.twitter.com/YKNMgA5dIQ</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) <a href="https://twitter.com/OilersNation/status/1928249553779569123?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>I was watching the game at Greta Bar Yeg, and when the 15-year NHL veteran scored his first-ever playoff goal, a few “SKINNER!!” yells broke out, with everyone so happy for him, and rightfully so. Skinner, on the human side of things, just seems like a likable guy. He came to Edmonton expecting to be a top-six player but was demoted and in and out of the lineup throughout the season, even missing playoff games. Yet, he kept pushing through, made adjustments to his game, and by all accounts, never complained. After <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/connor-mcdavid-scores-edmonton-oilers-series-winner-jeff-skinner-mattias-ekholm-return-lineup">1,078 regular-season games</a>, he can now proudly say he has two points in two playoff games, including a big goal in an elimination game in the Western Conference Final.</p>
<p>Additionally, Skinner had a great Game 5 overall. Playing just under 13 minutes, he scored a goal, fired three shots on net, and had three hits. He also made a big block in the first period, truly ‘laying it on the line’ and sacrificing his body to help his team. Moreover, for a player who’s been held out of the lineup — presumably due to concerns about his defensive game — he performed well in that area too.</p>
<p>Furthermore, he played on a line with Adam Henrique and <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/trent-frederic-playoff-force-edmonton-oilers-banking-on">Trent Frederic</a>, and heading into Game 5 vs. the Stars, I thought that line’s weakness might be a lack of speed, but that wasn’t the case at all. They forechecked hard and maintained sustained offensive pressure. In just over eight minutes of ice time, they generated a 4–2 shot advantage and a 2–1 edge in high-danger chances, tilting the ice in the Oilers&#8217; favour.</p>
<p>It remains to be seen if that line will stick together with Connor Brown set to return to the lineup, or if Skinner will remain in the lineup moving forward, but after the game he played and the goal he scored in Game 5 vs. the Stars, I feel he deserves at least the first crack in Game 1 vs. the Florida Panthers.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, the Oilers lineup has been full of stories of resilience and overcoming adversity — from <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/oilers-calvin-pickard-resilience-playoff-starter">Calvin Pickard</a> fighting his way back into the NHL and recording six straight playoff wins this postseason, to <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/a-look-at-how-oilers-kasperi-kapanen-went-from-waiver-wire-pickup-to-ot-playoff-hero">Kasperi Kapanen</a> going from waivers earlier in the season, to scoring three huge playoff goals, and now Jeffrey Scott Skinner persevering despite lineup setbacks to score his first-ever NHL playoff goal after 15 years.</p>
<p>It’s a special bunch, these Oilers are, and with Skinner’s latest goal, he became Edmonton’s 19th different playoff goal scorer. I, for one, am very excited to see what this year’s squad can do against the Florida Panthers — who also have 19 players who have scored in the playoffs — in the Stanley Cup Final. Overall, I feel Oilers fans are in for something special.</p>


After almost 15 years since Jeff Skinner’s name was called at the 2010 NHL Draft, he finally scored his first NHL playoff goal in <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-eliminate-dallas-stars-from-2025-playoffs">last night’s win over the Dallas Stars</a>, helping the Edmonton Oilers become Western Conference champions.

The Oilers took <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/connor-mcdavid-scores-edmonton-oilers-series-winner-jeff-skinner-mattias-ekholm-return-lineup">Game 5</a> with a 6-3 win over the Stars, and while the job is not yet finished, the smiles said it all after the game, especially from Skinner. After all he’s been through in his NHL career, he’s finally reached <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/oilers-will-host-panthers-for-game-1-of-stanley-cup-final-on-wednesday">the Stanley Cup Final</a>.

Yet, it’s been a bumpy ride for Skinner this season, which makes this moment in time all the more meaningful and all the more worth looking back on the adversity he endured to get here.
<h2>Skinner Struggled to Find Stability in the Oilers’ Lineup This Season</h2>
The 32-year-old was signed last offseason to a <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-sign-jeff-skinner-to-one-year-3-million-contract">one-year deal worth $3 million AAV</a>, and Oilers fans were licking their chops at the thought of either Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl getting a proven finisher — a former six-time 30-goal scorer — on their line.

That said, Skinner started the season on Draisaitl’s line, but the chemistry didn’t seem to click early on, and by the third game, he was given a look alongside McDavid. However, with the Oilers stumbling out of the gate and losing their first three games, it felt like the coaching staff had already made up their minds about the veteran offseason addition.

Perhaps they noticed some defensive lapses in his game early on, as he was dropped to the bottom six from the start of the season until December, bouncing between the third and fourth lines, with only occasional spots in the top six and minimal time playing with the Oilers’ two superstars.

Additionally, things seemed to get worse for Skinner in late December, when he was a healthy scratch for the first time in a game against <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/oilers-healthy-scratch-jeff-skinner-for-sunday-game-against-ducks">the Anaheim Ducks on Dec. 29</a> — the first of six healthy scratches over the next month.

Nevertheless, despite the inconsistent linemates he was paired with, he still contributed in spurts on the scoresheet. By the time he was set to face his former team, <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/stuart-skinner-steals-the-edmonton-oilers-a-win-ryan-nugent-hopkins-stays-hot-and-jeff-skinner-gets-his-revenge-goal">the Buffalo Sabres, on Jan. 25</a>, he had already scored seven goals, and he added another one that night against them. Yet, you’d think scoring a goal would be enough to keep a player in the lineup, right? Well, that wasn’t the case for Skinner, as he was a healthy scratch again just two nights later.

However, full marks to the Oilers forward — he clearly got the message that the coaching staff had concerns about his game. Perhaps it was his defensive play and 200-foot game, because after being scratched in late January, that area of his game noticeably improved.

https://twitter.com/seanpangs/status/1886985807346458661

When he was inserted back into the lineup against <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/the-day-after-51-0-todd-mclellans-red-wings-show-perseverance-as-oilers-drop-winnable-game">the Detroit Red Wings on Jan. 30</a>, not only did he score his ninth goal of the campaign, but he also made one of the best backchecks I’ve seen from any Oiler this season. He read a play perfectly when his team gave up a 2-on-1, hustled back on the check, broke up the Red Wings’ attack, and continued to make numerous strong defensive plays in the games that followed.

Overall, it seemed like Skinner had turned the page from late January onward, adding a more defensive mindset to his game, and with injuries piling up down the playoff stretch — most notably <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-connor-mcdavid-leon-draisaitl-miss-three-games-dallas-stars-seattle-kraken-calgary-flames">to McDavid and Draisaitl </a>— Skinner appeared to be playing his best hockey of the season, putting up eight points in the final 14 games and finishing the regular season with 29 points in 72 games (16G, 13A).
<h2>Skinner’s Improved Play Down the Stretch Wasn’t Enough to Keep Him in the Lineup After Game 1 vs. L.A</h2>
Fast forward to the start of the playoffs — after waiting 1,078 NHL regular-season games to get the chance — Skinner finally made his long-awaited postseason debut in <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-los-angeles-kings-game-1-tactical-review">Game 1 against the Los Angeles Kings</a> on April 21. He played just over 11 minutes, tallying an assist and showed he was buying into playoff hockey by being physical, tying for second on the team with five hits. However, he was also on the ice for three goals against at 5-on-5. And, of course, history repeated itself — Skinner was healthy scratched from that point on.

As we know, the Oilers defeated the Kings in six games and then pushed through the Vegas Golden Knights in five. When they took a 2-1 series lead against the Stars, it didn’t seem like Skinner would play in the Western Conference Final either — until <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/oilers-fans-react-zach-hyman-season-ending-injury">Zach Hyman</a> got injured in Game 4, opening another opportunity for Skinner to get back into the lineup.

The 32-year-old got the nod to return to the lineup for Game 5, and, like he’s shown throughout the season despite all the highs and lows, he flashed his smile and playful side before the game. When asked if sitting out shows how good the Oilers are and how much depth they have, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pctWjUObbj4">he jokingly responded</a>, “I hope so, otherwise the other option isn’t good for me,” all while flashing that playful grin.

But when the puck dropped in Game 5, Skinner was all business.

I have to give him a tremendous amount of credit — he stayed ready both physically and mentally for when his name was called, and he didn't disappoint. In<a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/zach-hyman-right-edmonton-oilers-back-in-stanley-cup-final"> Game 5</a>, the Oilers came out flying on all cylinders against the Stars, scoring two goals early, and Skinner’s signature playoff moment so far came at the 8:07 mark of the first period — after a big battle in front of the net, he kicked the puck to his stick and tucked it between the pads of Casey DeSmith, who had come in to relieve Jake Oettinger.

https://twitter.com/OilersNation/status/1928249553779569123

I was watching the game at Greta Bar Yeg, and when the 15-year NHL veteran scored his first-ever playoff goal, a few “SKINNER!!” yells broke out, with everyone so happy for him, and rightfully so. Skinner, on the human side of things, just seems like a likable guy. He came to Edmonton expecting to be a top-six player but was demoted and in and out of the lineup throughout the season, even missing playoff games. Yet, he kept pushing through, made adjustments to his game, and by all accounts, never complained. After <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/connor-mcdavid-scores-edmonton-oilers-series-winner-jeff-skinner-mattias-ekholm-return-lineup">1,078 regular-season games</a>, he can now proudly say he has two points in two playoff games, including a big goal in an elimination game in the Western Conference Final.

Additionally, Skinner had a great Game 5 overall. Playing just under 13 minutes, he scored a goal, fired three shots on net, and had three hits. He also made a big block in the first period, truly ‘laying it on the line’ and sacrificing his body to help his team. Moreover, for a player who’s been held out of the lineup — presumably due to concerns about his defensive game — he performed well in that area too.

Furthermore, he played on a line with Adam Henrique and <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/trent-frederic-playoff-force-edmonton-oilers-banking-on">Trent Frederic</a>, and heading into Game 5 vs. the Stars, I thought that line’s weakness might be a lack of speed, but that wasn’t the case at all. They forechecked hard and maintained sustained offensive pressure. In just over eight minutes of ice time, they generated a 4–2 shot advantage and a 2–1 edge in high-danger chances, tilting the ice in the Oilers' favour.

It remains to be seen if that line will stick together with Connor Brown set to return to the lineup, or if Skinner will remain in the lineup moving forward, but after the game he played and the goal he scored in Game 5 vs. the Stars, I feel he deserves at least the first crack in Game 1 vs. the Florida Panthers.

Nevertheless, the Oilers lineup has been full of stories of resilience and overcoming adversity — from <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/oilers-calvin-pickard-resilience-playoff-starter">Calvin Pickard</a> fighting his way back into the NHL and recording six straight playoff wins this postseason, to <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/a-look-at-how-oilers-kasperi-kapanen-went-from-waiver-wire-pickup-to-ot-playoff-hero">Kasperi Kapanen</a> going from waivers earlier in the season, to scoring three huge playoff goals, and now Jeffrey Scott Skinner persevering despite lineup setbacks to score his first-ever NHL playoff goal after 15 years.

It’s a special bunch, these Oilers are, and with Skinner’s latest goal, he became Edmonton’s 19th different playoff goal scorer. I, for one, am very excited to see what this year’s squad can do against the Florida Panthers — who also have 19 players who have scored in the playoffs — in the Stanley Cup Final. Overall, I feel Oilers fans are in for something special.

The long, winding road to Jeff Skinner’s first Stanley Cup Playoff goal

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