SAN JOSE – The San Jose Sharks placed Jeff Skinner on unconditional waivers for the purpose of mutual contract termination on Monday, a source confirmed, with the two sides agreeing to part ways less than three weeks before the NHL trade deadline.
If Skinner is not claimed by another NHL team by Tuesday, he will become an unrestricted free agent able to sign with any club. Skinner would have to be on another team’s roster by the March 6 trade deadline to be eligible to play in the playoffs.
The Sharks signed Skinner, 33, to a one-year, $3 million contract in July, hoping he could become a top-six forward with the team and rekindle some of the scoring touch he had earlier in his career.
However, Skinner managed just five goals and eight points in his first 28 games with the Sharks. He missed 10 games from mid-November to early December with a lower-body injury, and had been a healthy scratch each of the last 10 games before San Jose’s Olympic break began on Feb. 5.
Skinner had 13 points in 32 games with the Sharks this season, averaging 12:21 in ice time.
Skinner, drafted seventh overall in 2010, has 712 points in 1,110 career NHL games.
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