Jeff Skinner has skilled lots over 1,078 NHL video games. The vitality and pleasure of a playoff sport, although, have eluded him thus far.
That may change Monday when Skinner and the Edmonton Oilers take the ice for Sport 1 of their first-round sequence in opposition to the Los Angeles Kings.
The possibility to go on a post-season run is a part of what drew Skinner to Edmonton as a free agent final summer time.
“Clearly coming right here, my first 12 months right here, and I knew that we have now a reasonably good staff, we need to try to be part of it,” the veteran ahead stated Sunday.
“And, it’s feeling. You sort of work towards it the entire 12 months. So all of us labored collectively towards it, and now we try to get rolling.”
Drafted seventh general by the Hurricanes in 2010, Skinner spent the primary eight seasons of his profession as a part of Carolina’s rebuild.
He was dealt to Buffalo in 2019 and spent six years with a Sabres facet that hasn’t performed a post-season sport since 2011.
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Nobody goes into the NHL season pondering they’re going to overlook the playoffs – particularly 14 years in a row, Skinner stated.
“Yearly you sort of really feel like coming into the 12 months, like each different staff, you’re feeling such as you’ve acquired an opportunity,” he stated. “And also you try to work towards your objective and also you come up brief and also you don’t get to expertise it. After which, clearly, simply maintain plugging away.”
By no means earlier than has an NHL participant appeared in 1,078 regular-season video games and never a single playoff sport.
The feat hasn’t gone unnoticed by Skinner’s teammates.
Oilers captain Connor McDavid handed the 32-year-old ahead the staff’s player-of-the sport award – a wrestling belt – within the locker room after Edmonton clinched it’s post-season berth. Video of the second reveals Skinner’s vast smile and laughter as his teammates applaud.
“That’s a very long time. That’s a terrific profession for many,” McDavid informed reporters. “So the truth that he’s by no means performed in a playoff sport is exclusive. Clearly, excited for him to get that chance. We all know how enjoyable it’s. … It’s the very best hockey, it’s so enjoyable. So glad that he’ll get that have.”
Skinner performed 72 regular-season video games for Edmonton, contributing 16 targets and 13 assists.
The totals have been nicely off the career-high 82 factors he registered with the Sabres in 2022-23, however Skinner believes the second half of his first season with the Oilers was higher than the primary.
“It’s sort of a day-by-day factor, and also you try to form of maintain bettering perhaps in numerous elements of the season,” he stated. “You undergo slumps. You undergo form of good stretches the place you try to maintain that momentum going. … I need to try to maintain constructing, maintain getting higher, similar to everybody else.”
Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch additionally thinks Skinner’s play improved over the course of the marketing campaign.
“I wouldn’t say it was up and down. I’d say it was down and simply continued to stand up,” Knoblauch stated. “I believe he’s doing nicely. … And all through playoffs, I hope it continues to rise.”
Skinner skated on a line with Adam Henrique and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on Sunday because the Oilers acquired in a single last observe earlier than the playoff marketing campaign begins.
Everybody in Edmonton’s locker room is eagerly anticipating the post-season, Skinner stated — himself included.
“I believe it’s simply a kind of issues the place everybody’s excited. Clearly, I’m not the one man going out being excited,” he stated. “So I believe it’ll be enjoyable to get issues going and enjoyable to do it with this group.”
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