Jeff Skinner turned down Leafs contract offer to sign with Oilers
The Toronto Maple Leafs may be a hot destination for many free agents these days, but it appears Jeff Skinner was among those who turned down an opportunity to join the roster.
TSN reporter Chris Johnston said on his self-titled podcast that Toronto had made a push for the 32-year-old winger before he ultimately signed with the Edmonton Oilers.
“I know the Leafs were among the teams that had talked to him,” Johnston said. “And, you know, were trying to pitch him on the idea, ‘hey, you can play alongside Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner on our team’. So, you know, free agency is about different things to different players.”
Skinner had 24 goals and 22 assists in 2023-24 before being bought out by the Buffalo Sabres last month with three years remaining on an eight-year contract worth $9 million annually.
“Jeff Skinner… he had lots of options. He’s playing on a one-year, $3 million contract. I know he’s getting paid by Buffalo. So he’s still he’s still doing pretty well, financially. He’s going [to Edmonton] clearly to win. I mean, he could sign for one year and $3 million in about 10 spots,” Johnston added.
Skinner echoed those comments in a media session on Tuesday.
“It’s a great hockey team and I’d like to sort of be a part of that,” Skinner told reporters yesterday. “For me, the thing that stood out most about the Oilers is sort of the interest they showed and the consistent interest they showed. The Oilers were very consistent in their interest and kind of made me feel [welcomed], so I think that played a big role. It’s pretty obvious they have a great team, and I’d like to be a part of that.”
The full episode of The Chris Johnston Show is available below:
You might also like:
Follow Channels and Categories