Sharks cut ties with Calder Trophy winner during Olympic break

Sharks cut ties with Calder Trophy winner during Olympic break originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The San Jose Sharks will be at least one player light when their stars come back from the 2026 Winter Olympics.

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Jeff Skinner will no longer be around.

On Monday, Skinner was placed on unconditional waivers for the purposes of contract termination, according to insider Elliotte Friedman.

Skinner will pass through waivers and be a free agent, able to sign a veteran’s minimum deal somewhere.

It seems the move was mutual after Skinner wasn’t a good fit in San Jose. He hadn’t appeared in a game since Jan. 11.

This season, Skinner has skated in 32 games and totaled six goals and seven assists.

The 33-year old has been all over the NHL in his career, from the Hurricanes to Sabres to Oilers to Sharks.

Now, he could be looking at a fifth team.

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He was the 2010-11 Calder Trophy winner in his age-18 season with Carolina, and he has played in 1,110 NHL games.

Skinner has 379 career goals and 333 career assists, good for 712 total points.

Last season with the Oilers, Skinner played in 72 games and had 16 goals with 13 assists.

He’s certainly more of a role player than he was in his prime, but Skinner still knows how to score a goal.

There is likely a contender out there who will feel it’s at least worth a shot to sign Skinner and see what he might still have left in the tank.

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