Maybe this Jeff Skinner thing can work out after all.
It was almost to the point, with Skinner alternating between the fourth line and the press box last month, that it was fair to wonder if the Oilers should file this one under Failed Experiment and start working on a Plan B.
With just as many healthy scratches as goals (five) between Oct. 19 and Jan 23 (42 games), he wasn’t exactly grabbing that second line scoring winger position by the throat.
But the free agent signing is starting to show signs of life, hinting at a timely and much-needed comeback. While Skinner looked down for the count as recently as two weeks ago, he kicked out of it like Hulk Hogan Wednesday night in Chicago.
Bumped up to the second line with Leon Draisaitl after a couple of solid outings in a row, Skinner responded with a goal and assist and was plus two in 15:27 of ice time, 1:57 of it on the second unit power play.
He hadn’t logged more than 14 minutes in a game since Dec. 3 and was down to eight minutes and change at his lowest. But he’s trending up. Fourth line against Toronto, third line against St. Louis and second line against Chicago. He has a three goals and an assist in his last five games.
The goals are huge, that’s what they signed him for, but he’s also being noticed for his effort and for his willingness to dig in defensively. He’s broken up some opposition plays, had some backchecking highlights and seems to be winning his way back into the plans.
This is big because a scoring winger who understands the value of playing the right way is exactly what the Oilers need right now
“Jeff’s been playing really well,” said head coach Kris Knoblauch. “His details have been good, he’s been checking hard, he’s been getting in on the forecheck and been in the right position defensively. He’s played really well for the last couple of weeks.”
Credit Knoblauch for finding a way to get his message across — the Oilers aren’t looking for a guy who’s going to hang around the net and wait for tap ins while paying limited attention to the rest of his game. There is no room for that player in the top six of a team with Stanley Cup aspirations.
They need a guy with high-end hands who is committed to the big picture. And credit Skinner, who’s never played a playoff game in his career, for recognizing what he needed to change and working hard to change it.
It’s the same lesson Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl learned earlier in their careers. You can pile up a lot of points cheating for offence, but you’re never going to win anything.
This is a short sample size, and you can’t ignore 45 games worth of evidence because of two good weeks, but he’s been a different player since hitting his low point in January. He’s energized and engaged at both ends of the ice.
The play where he set up Leon Draisaitl for Edmonton’s 3-1 goal illustrates his evolution. He lifted the puck from a Chicago player attempting a breakout, fed the puck to Draisaitl and instead of fending off an odd-man rush the other way the Oilers had a two-goal lead.
“It’s just being in the right place to break up that play to get the puck,” said Knoblauch. “If he’s not in the right place defensively they’re on a rush against and we have to defend, but he’s able to break that play up and it leads to a scoring chance.”
Skinner hadn’t started a game on the second line since Nov. 21 against Minnesota and he scored in that one, too. But that Skinner and this Skinner are two different players. This guy, if he keeps playing this way, can help.
“He’s an easy guy to play with,” Skinner said of Draisaitl. “He wins a lot of battles, makes a lot of great plays.”
Playing with draisaitl is where they envisioned Skinner at the start of the season. He’s had a couple of looks there and it didn’t take, but maybe the stars are going to align on that front.
The Oilers could really use that.
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