Avalanche and Capitals Make Waiver Moves while Jeff Skinner clears

Feb 17, 2026 (2:14 PM)

Photo credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Jeff Skinner just cleared unconditional waivers, and the San Jose Sharks situation got real fast.

That clearance means Skinner is free to sign anywhere, immediately.

His 2025-26 line in San Jose sits at 6-7-13, and it still wasn’t enough to keep the fit together.

San Jose put him on unconditional waivers Monday, Feb. 16, for contract termination, and now the next chapter is in his hands.

For contenders shopping for secondary scoring, this is the kind of midseason swing that can flip a top-six.

-

The other waiver news matters too, because it shows how tight rosters are right now.

Colorado put Jacob MacDonald on waivers, and it’s the classic depth-defender squeeze.

Sharks fans feel that familiar mix of “of course” and “what now,” because a clean break usually means the room already moved on.

MacDonald is 32 and undrafted, and he’s the type teams stash until an injury hits the blue line.

Washington also waived Mitchell Gibson, a 26-year-old goalie drafted in 2018, Round 4, by the Capitals.

Goalie waivers rarely make headlines, but they can reshape an AHL crease overnight.

The Skinner angle is louder, though, because a free agent scorer in February turns into instant cap math.

If a team can tuck the contract properly, he’s a plug-and-play winger on the man advantage.

Now we wait for who blinks first, because the next signing will tell you what kind of market this really is.

Previously on HockeyLatest

POLL
FEVRIER 17\|205 ANSWERS Avalanche and Capitals Make Waiver Moves while Jeff Skinner clears Will Jeff Skinner sign with a contender this week?
Yes	88	42.9 %
No	117	57.1 %
List of polls