DONE DEAL: Edmonton Oilers sign Brandon Saad! Jeff Skinner OUT!

DONE DEAL: Edmonton Oilers sign Brandon Saad! Jeff Skinner OUT!

Oilers Signing Saad Would Mean Exit for Doomed Forward

If the Edmonton Oilers sign Brandon Saad, what does that mean for Jeff Skinner? He is already having trouble making the lineup.

There’s a lot of talk on Thursday that the Edmonton Oilers might be the frontrunners to sign Brandon Saad when he’s free and clear to do so. Following his clearing waivers and the intention by the St. Louis Blues and Saad to mutually terminate his contract, insiders and analysts have linked the Oilers as a team Saad is looking at. Whether that signing works or doesn’t, it likely means the end of struggling forward Jeff Skinner.

 

Former NHLer and now podcast host Jordan Schmaltz wrote: “Folks, hearing some things on the Brandon Saad front. It’s not official by any means but don’t be shocked if there’s a possible reunion between Stan Bowman and the 32-year-old 2-time Stanley Cup Champ. Let’s see where this goes.”

If the Oilers acquire Saad, it will likely be because they want to bring in a few of the things they were hoping to get with Skinner but didn’t. Saad has some scoring prowess — he’d be the 7th highest-scoring forward on the team. He brings some size, grit, and playoff experience, and he can play the penalty kills while adding depth. Skinner can score, but he offers none of those other features since a bottom-six role is like putting a square peg into a round hole.

Saad might not be the perfect fit, but it’s hard to argue against adding at close to the league minimum, who scored 26 goals last season. It will also be hard to convince head coach Kris Knoblauch not to use a player like Saad, who is more defensively responsible. Skinner is already inexplicably in Knoblauch’s dog house. A Saad addition adds just one more hurdle for Skinner to jump.

 

What Happens to Skinner Then?

If sitting the forward wasn’t a hint enough that Skinner didn’t have a place on this Oilers team, adding another forward like Saad will. Essentially, this would be the Oilers indirectly telling Skinner to accept a trade because there’s no chance he’ll see the playoffs.

 

For Skinner, his run in Edmonton did not work out as hoped. He’d signed because he wanted a chance to win and taste the postseason for the first time in his career. However, the less he plays and more hurdles the Oilers keep tossing in his way, the more Skinner is best to waive his no-move and see if Edmonton can find a home for him on a playoff team.