Jeff Skinner is now free and clear to seek employment elsewhere.
The veteran forward cleared waivers after being placed on waivers by the San Jose Sharks on Monday for the purposes of terminating his contract.
Skinner, 33, signed a one-year, $3-million contract with the Sharks as a free agent. This season, he has six goals and 13 points in 32 games, and missed time with a lower-body injury in November.
Skinner won the Calder Trophy as top rookie while with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2011 and has scored at least 30 goals in six seasons. But his offence has been in decline the last few years as he bounced around from the Buffalo Sabres, Edmonton Oilers and the Sharks.
Also placed on waivers on Tuesday, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, were Jacob MacDonald by the Colorado Avalanche and Mitchell Gibson of the Washington Capitals.
Gibson had been signed earlier in the day to a two-year, two-way contract. The 26-year-old was selected by the Capitals in the fourth round (124th overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft.
Gibson has a 6-4-2 record, 2.48 goals-against average, .918 save percentage and one shutout in 12 games with Hershey this season.
He has a 9-4-2 record, 2.37 goals-against average, .919 save percentage and one shutout in 15 career AHL games.
Before turning pro, Gibson played at Harvard University.
MacDonald has mainly been a depth defenceman for the Avalanche, last playing in the NHL for the Sharks in 2023-24. In 135 career NHL games with the Panthers, Avalanche and Sharks, he has 10 goals and 17 assists for 27 points.