Hockey players are often labeled as hard to relate to, but don't put Jeff Skinner in that category.
The 32-year-old forward, who signed a one-year, $3-million contract with the Edmonton Oilers this offseason, has a backstory and personality that fans can identify with.
Maybe it's because he's not afraid to embrace his idiosyncrasies. In Buffalo, where he spent the last six seasons, Skinner put his sense of humor on display by writing, producing, and starring in a comedy series called "Between 2 Stalls" on the team's YouTube channel. It was a nod to Zach Galifianakis' spoof interview show with Skinner in the role of awkwardly questioning his teammates.
Will there be more episodes in Edmonton? "It's on hold for now," he laughs. "In order for that to happen, you have to really know your teammates, and I'm just getting here."
In the meantime, he has his well-documented passion for Netflix's "Emily in Paris" to keep him occupied.
"I have a couple of friends who are really into movies and TV and 'Emily in Paris' comes up in the group chat," he says. "It'll be interesting to see where it goes because obviously Marcello is in Rome." (Marcello is Emily's new love interest.) "Maybe it'll change to Rome next season."
But what really makes Skinner compelling is his hockey journey. After being drafted No. 7 overall in 2010 by the Carolina Hurricanes, the Markham, Ontario, native won the Calder Trophy as the most esteemed rookie in the 2010-11 season. In April 2024, he became the first member of his draft class to play 1,000 games. None of those have been a playoff game. To have a major goal evade you for so long is decidedly human.
"Honestly, I think every year about working towards getting better and contributing to the team as best as I can," he says. "(Making the playoffs) is one of those big-picture things. Everyone reflects, everyone looks at things from a big-picture sense, but for me it's almost counterproductive. Sometimes it's just easier to focus on the task at hand."
This year, he might have found a team where the task at hand aligns with the big picture. The Oilers enter the 2024-25 with high expectations after a Cup Final run that went all the way to Game 7.
"To me, it's a different situation than I've ever been in. There's obviously a well-established way they do things here, and it's worked, it's been successful. I'm just kind of another piece of that, hopefully," he says.
theScore caught up with Skinner during Oilers training camp to understand his mindset as he starts a season that might, at last, lead to a playoff game.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
TheScore: Think of yourself as an 18-year-old. If someone told you, "Jeff, you're going to have an amazing career. To start, you'll win the Calder Trophy in your rookie year. Your career will also be long; you'll play into your 30s. You're going to be the first in your draft class to reach 1,000 games. The only catch? None of those will be playoff games." What would you say to that person? Would you believe them?
Skinner: It's tough to go back and think about if I wish things would have turned out differently because I'm grateful for the experiences I've had. If you wish one thing happened, then maybe you don't get the benefit of another experience. If I went back to my 18-year-old self, I'd tell him to just enjoy it. It goes by quick.
But (the playoffs) are obviously my goal that I want to keep working towards. I haven't achieved it yet, but hopefully will soon. Everything else throughout my career, I'm grateful to have that experience.
Thinking back on all the training camps and season openers you've been through in your career, were there years where it was hard to have hope that you'd reach that elusive goal of making it to the playoffs?
Any time you go into a season anywhere, every team has that mindset of a fresh start. Everyone's got the opportunity to chase after their goals. I think that's part of what makes playing in the league great - that optimism and excitement at the start of every year. Even the teams that end up winning go through ups and downs and adversity. I think the optimism at the start is what you always look forward to - especially after the season, going into the summer. You look at what you can do better and then you come into the season with all that excitement.
For players, you have a certain amount you can control, and then you have a certain amount you can't. Focusing on those things you cannot control sometimes takes up energy or time from focusing on the things you can. I think it's a cliche way of looking at it, but especially as my career has gone on, it's easier for me to separate what I can control. Then I think you do those things to the best of your ability and hopefully things work out.
Was this a mindset you've worked to develop as your career has gone on or have you naturally always been able to take a positive approach?
Over the years, you take in as many experiences as you can. You watch how other guys react to things and how it serves them, whether positively or negatively, and you continually try to move forward and progress. I don't even know if it's something I've developed - I think it's not finished developing. I'd like to think I have more room for growing and getting better at handling things.
Now that you're in Edmonton, what feels different about this team?
Everyone knows the run they went on last year. I watched it like everyone else in the hockey world. The guys in here have a ton of great experience, and that's something I'll hopefully learn from. As far as the overall feeling - the expectation is very high here. There's a certain standard that guys have set here. And obviously they have talent. They're some of the most talented hockey players in the world. It's been fun to experience that.
It's also nice to play in Canada. Being Canadian, I loved my time in the States, but personally, to live and play in Canada is something I'm excited about. All of my family is Canadian, so they're excited. It's just nice to have that excitement of a Canadian market, a Canadian city.
Jolene Latimer is a feature writer at theScore.
