379-goal scorer leaves the NHL behind and signs overseas after rough ending with Sharks

The 34 year old winger's NHL run included stops in Carolina, Buffalo, Edmonton and most recently San Jose, where things fell apart quickly.

Skinner appeared in just 32 games with the Sharks before the club parted ways with him in February, a rough finish for a player who once looked like a lock to keep producing at the NHL level well into his mid 30s.

Biel general manager Martin Steinegger didn't hide his excitement about landing a player with Skinner's resume, pointing to his offensive instincts and the kind of experience that comes from more than a decade at the highest level of the sport.

Skinner's numbers tell the story of a genuine offensive threat for most of his career.

Across parts of 15 NHL seasons he suited up in over 1,100 games, scoring 379 goals and adding 333 assists for 712 points.

He made an All Star team in 2019 and helped Canada win silver at the 2017 World Championship.

His two seasons in Edmonton were a mixed bag, with flashes of the scoring touch that made him a first round pick back in 2010, but never quite the consistent middle six impact the Oilers were hoping for when they brought him in.

Biel finished tenth in the National League last season and clearly wants more firepower up front.

Skinner won't join the team right away, as he's expected to arrive in Switzerland toward the end of August while his work permit gets sorted out.

For a player looking to rebuild some momentum after a tough finish in San Jose, a fresh start in a new league might be exactly what the doctor ordered.

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