Edmonton Oilers’ Jeff Skinner Fined For Repeated Embellishment

The NHL fined the Edmonton Oilers’ Jeff Skinner $2,000 for embellishment on Monday.

The automatic fine comes after the left winger received the second embellishment citation this season. He previously received a warning for embellishment after the Oct. 22 game versus the Carolina Hurricanes.

The NHL’s hockey operations department tracks all games, logs penalties for embellishment and flags plays not called on the ice that it thinks deserved a penalty.

In this case, the department flagged a non-call from the Oilers’ Nov. 23 game against the New York Rangers.

Skinner had possession of the puck along the boards as Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller defended him from behind. Miller reaches with his stick to try to knock the puck loose, and it appears to get stuck between Skinner’s arm and body. Skinner then fell to the ice while sending a backhand pass to the middle of the ice. Rangers defender Adam Fox intercepted the pass. Skinner looked toward the referee as he returned to the bench.

Rule 64 of the NHL rulebook says any player who blatantly dives, embellishes a fall or a reaction, or feigns an injury shall receive a minor penalty.

Players and teams who repeatedly dive and embellish in an attempt to draw penalties receive more serious fines on a graduated scale. And when any club’s players collect a combined four fines for embellishment or diving, the NHL also starts to fine the coach.

Skinner has four goals and eight points in 24 games this season.

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