It’s hard to believe two years have already passed since the infamous “Summer of Jeff” in Edmonton. A time when the hockey world collectively praised Jeff Jackson for his work as interim GM of the Edmonton Oilers. Jackson’s moves that offseason were universally celebrated. But it wasn’t long before the fans and analysts were proven universally wrong.

On July 1, Jackson’s short GM tenure officially began. He re-signed veteran forwards Connor Brown, Corey Perry, Adam Henrique, Calvin Pickard, and Mattias Janmark. He also acquired a pair of veteran top-six forwards in Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson at reasonable cap hits. A few days later, he traded Ryan McLeod to the Buffalo Sabres for prospect Matt Savoie.

Thanks to Jackson’s explosive summer, Edmonton opened the 2024-25 season as Stanley Cup favourites. The Athletic’s analytics model gave them a 19 per cent chance of winning the Cup, which was 9 per cent higher than the next-closest team.

They nearly accomplished that goal, coming just two wins short of a championship in 2025. Shockingly, though, they did it despite limited contributions from Jackson’s additions.

Arvidsson and Skinner were a disappointment, and several of the team’s veterans experienced age-related decline and injuries. How did the result look so different from the expectations set during the summer of Jeff?

Why did Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson struggle in Edmonton?

In 2023-24, the Oilers’ second line, centred by Leon Draisaitl, was in constant flux.

Whether it was Warren Foegele, Dylan Holloway, McLeod or Perry, the coaching staff didn’t seem entirely comfortable with their options on the wing. Nor did they want to pull Zach Hyman or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins away from Connor McDavid, as the top line had become a well-oiled machine.

On July 1, Jackson found what he considered upgrades in free agency: Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson.

Arvidsson had missed 64 games the prior season with injuries, but he spent most of his career on the top two lines and had a lengthy track record of superb even-strength production. For two years at a $4 million AAV, he seemed like a steal.

Skinner was coming off a 46-point campaign with the Buffalo Sabres, and although his defensive play was never a strength, his production more than justified a one-year $3 million contract.

Both players were proven scorers, but it didn’t translate in Edmonton. Take a look at their five-on-five numbers over the past five seasons:

Skinner’s five-on-five........

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