Oilers Reward Perry Over Skinner With Prominent Role
Jeff Skinner is on the Oilers' fourth line for the third straight game while veteran Corey Perry is promoted to Leon Draisaitl's wing.
Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports - Oilers Reward Perry Over Skinner With Prominent RoleHe's only been in Edmonton for a month and a half, but it appears Jeff Skinner is already in the doghouse.
Skinner will stay on the Oilers' fourth line for the third straight game, despite the ongoing absence of Viktor Arvidsson. Filling Arvidsson's spot on Leon Draisiatl's right wing will be Corey Perry.
It's a curious decision. When the Oilers signed Skinner in the offseason, the move was hailed as a canny move to pick up reliable secondary scoring for cheap. Skinner, a five-time 30-goal scorer with a long history of creating offence at even strength, was poised to slot onto Draisaitl's wing alongside fellow newcomer Arvidsson.
But he barely even got that chance. That presumptive second line only ever played 33 minutes together before they were broken up, despite a 64% expected goals share. Skinner's been all over the Oilers' lineup, the only player to see time on all four lines.
He's been supplanted on the second line by Vasily Podkolzin, a forechecking demon who works very well with Draisaitl. He's been held off the third line by Mattias Janmark as the Oilers try to recapture the playoff magic of Janmark-Henrique-Brown. His first-line audition went poorly and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is back on Connor McDavid's left wing.
You'd think a top-six injury would allow Skinner to break back into the scoring role he's best suited for. But here we are, with Viktor Arvidsson out for the third consecutive game, and his role has been filled by Corey Perry. What gives?
That's not to say Perry hasn't played well, because he has. His xG share of 57.7% is the fifth-highest on the team. But at 39 years old, Perry just isn't suited for a top-six role anymore. He's been the perfect veteran fourth-line grinder and net-front presence, but the legs are gone, and they have been for a while.
The Oilers entered the season with Skinner and Arvidsson on Draisaitl's wings, the two best linemates he's ever had. 18 games and one injury later, and he's sharing a line with two grinders, one with very little finishing talent and one with very little footspeed.
Why sign Jeff Skinner at all if you're not going to put him on a scoring line?
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