For the first month of the season, it would have been hard to get any press as a member of the Carolina Hurricanes for anything other than their horrible start. Because they didn’t win a single game in the month of October they were thrownto the head of of the Connor McDavid ‘sweepstakes’.
But since the calendar turned its page into November, Carolina has been arguably the hottest team in the league, as they have yet to lose in regulation early on this month.
One player who used the opportunity to shine in their latest win was Jeff Skinner – who at 22 years of age has topped the 100-goal mark in his NHL career. Not a historic pace, but also considering he has missed some time to various injuries – an impressive accomplishment none the less.
Two of the greatest trademarks of every goal scorer are a quick release and the ability to find open space on the ice. On goal number 100 Skinner put both on full display, skating into a seam near at the right dot and released a quick, beautiful wrist shot before Devin Setoguchi could get his stick in the way.
In four total seasons (this year is his fifth), Skinner has missed 35 games due to injury – including 18 in 2011-2012 in which he only scored 20 goals in 64 games.
The seventh overall pick in the 2010 NHL Draft, Skinner is the second member of that class to top the 100 goal mark joining Tyler Seguin of the Dallas Stars.
First overall pick Taylor Hall, who is currently out with an injury and has dealt with his own bits of injury problems, is two goals away from joining Skinner and Seguin as a part of the 100 goal club.
Most Goals From 2010 NHL Draft:#Stars Tyler Seguin – 103#Hurricanes Jeff Skinner – 100#Oilers Taylor Hall – 98
— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) November 11, 2014
Everywhere Skinner has gone he has been a scorer, as he put up 50-goals in his draft year for the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League. As an 18-year from the start to finish of the year, Skinner scored 31 goals his rookie with the Hurricanes winning the Calder Trophy in the process as the league’s top rookie.
Since the lockout, only Sidney Crosby has been able to score 30 goals as a teenager from start to finish of the season (Crosby actually did it twice).
The market and team he plays for, Skinner’s name gets lost in the shuffle of the best young players in the game, but if you were going to build a team from the bottom up there isn’t many other players you are going to pass up when your search begins for a pure goal scoring wingers.
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