Edmonton Oilers forwards Jeff Skinner and Mattias Janmark could be on their way out of town, insider Bob Stauffer believes.
During a recent episode of Oilers Now, Stauffer explored the potential issue the Edmonton Oilers could face when Evander Kane returns from injury. In particular, Kane's return could push one of Skinner or Janmark out of the lineup.
Bob Stauffer speaks on a potential forward trade when Evander Kane returns pic.twitter.com/7UBeGtqgzW
— OilersDaily (@alloilersdaily) November 2, 2024
Currently, Skinner is on the top line with Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman. However, Skinner has underwhelmed this season, notching three goals and three assists in 14 games. While not terrible, the Oilers hoped to get more from their offseason free-agent acquisition.
As for Janmark, he's a bottom-six forward predominantly skating on the checking line. Unlike Skinner, Janmark has delivered on the team's expectations based on his role.
So, would the Oilers be willing to part with Janmark and keep Skinner? Or, would it make more sense to move Skinner and keep Janmark?
As long as Kane is out of the lineup, neither player would need to go. But if push comes to shove, the Edmonton Oilers would be much likelier to move Skinner and keep Janmark. Janmark's versatility is far more valuable than the production Skinner has provided at this point.
Trading Skinner is easier said than done
With a little over a month into the season, injuries and disappointing performances have teams looking for solutions. However, finding a trading partner for Skinner is easier said than done. Skinner is on a one-year, $3 million deal.
That's certainly not an untradeable contract, but just how many teams would be looking to take Skinner on? It all depends on the price tag. Teams looking for depth scoring come playoff time could find a serviceable option in Skinner for the right price.
Then again, teams looking to boost their scoring might find taking a flier on Skinner worth a short if the price is low enough. The Oilers could find suitable trading partners in teams like the Boston Bruins or New York Islanders. Perhaps the Pittsburgh Penguins might be kick the tires on Skinner.
Nevertheless, none of these teams really have much to offer in terms of prospects or picks. Perhaps flipping Skinner could help the Oilers recoup some picks, which could be used to make moves at the trade deadline.
There's one caveat in this entire conversation. According to PuckPedia, Kane is set to return at some point in February. If that's the case, Kane's return is still months away. That's plenty of time for Skinner to get his game back on track and potentially up his trade value.
But if he does, the Oilers may want to hold onto Skinner anyway. Ultimately, the Oilers could find themselves in a bit of a quandary, but a good one to be in.