San Jose Sharks make former 40 goal scorer available to the Vancouver Canucks for no cost

With the 2026 Winter Olympics slowly winding down, the National Hockey League is set to resume play in just eight days and with not a lot of time between then and the trade deadline on Friday, March 6th, it's going to be very busy for some teams, including the Vancouver Canucks.

The Vancouver Canucks have already made it known what their plans are, they're going to rebuild as they find themselves at the bottom of the National Hockey League's overall standings with an 18-33-6 record through 57 games this season.

While Vancouver Canucks General Manager Patrik Allvin is looking to get younger amid their rebuilding plans, the club also needs to surround that youth with the right veterans and it looks like one has just become available for free after being placed on unconditional waivers.

In a post on social media on Monday, Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman reported that veteran forward Jeff Skinner has been placed on unconditional waivers by the San Jose Sharks for the purpose of terminating his contract and if he goes unclaimed, which will happen, he'll become an unrestricted free agent.

It hasn't been a great season for Jeff Skinner after signing a one-year deal worth $3 million with the San Jose Sharks last summer, registering just 13 points (six goals, seven assists), 14 penalty minutes and was a minus-eight in 32 games.

Prior to being bought out by the Buffalo Sabres and eventually joining the Edmonton Oilers in 2024, the 33-year-old was linked to the Vancouver Canucks as there was a bit of a connection to the Lower Mainland - Jim Rutherford, who drafted Jeff Skinner seventh overall with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2010.

Whether the Vancouver Canucks still have interest in Jeff Skinner remains to be seen, but it wouldn't be a shock if Jim Rutherford and Patrik Allvin at least "check-in" with the Toronto, Ontario native to see if he'd want to join them and potentially get some top-six minutes once the club parts with their other pending UFAs.

In 1,110 games in the National Hockey League with the Carolina Hurricanes, Buffalo Sabres, Edmonton Oilers and San Jose Sharks, Skinner has 712 points (379 goals, 333 assists), 491 penalty minutes and is a minus-137.

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