Jeff Skinner has been through a lot during his 1,078 NHL games, but he’s yet to experience the thrill and intensity of a playoff matchup. That changes Monday, when he and the Edmonton Oilers face off against the Los Angeles Kings in Game 1 of their first-round series.
Part of what attracted Skinner to sign with Edmonton as a free agent last summer was the opportunity to make a playoff run.
“Coming here in my first year, I knew we had a strong team, and I wanted to be part of that,” the veteran forward said on Sunday. “It feels great — you work all season for this moment. We’ve all put in the effort together, and now it’s time to get things going.”
Originally drafted seventh overall by the Hurricanes in 2010, Skinner spent his first eight NHL seasons helping Carolina rebuild.
He was traded to Buffalo in 2019, where he played for six seasons with a Sabres team that hasn’t reached the playoffs since 2011.
“No one starts the season thinking they’ll miss the playoffs — especially not for 14 straight years,” Skinner said. “Each season you go in with hope, just like every team, believing you’ve got a shot. You work toward that goal, and sometimes you fall short. But you just keep pushing forward.”
Skinner holds the unfortunate distinction of playing 1,078 regular-season games without ever appearing in a playoff — a record that hasn’t gone unnoticed by his teammates.