The defenseman can help eliminate the New York Rangers, who traded him to the Hurricanes for a first-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft on Feb. 24.
"I've got a ton of motivation," Skjei said after practice Thursday. "I really enjoyed my time in New York, loved every part of it, but now I've got a ton of motivation and a chip on my shoulder going into this series. I'm going to do everything possible, everything I can to come out of this series victorious."
Skjei played seven games for the Hurricanes before the season was paused March 12 due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus. He had one assist, a minus-4 rating and 15 shots on goal.
The No. 28 pick in the 2012 NHL Draft, Skjei played 307 games for the Rangers from 2015-20. He scored 112 points (25 goals, 87 assists), including 23 (eight goals, 15 assists) in 60 games this season, the second in a six-year contract he agreed to July 28, 2018.
Carolina (38-25-5, .596 points percentage) will enter the Qualifiers as the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference and play the Rangers (37-28-5, .564), the No. 11 seed, in a best-of-5 series at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, the hub city for the 12 East teams. Game 1 is Aug. 1 (12 p.m. ET). The winner will advance to the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the loser will have a chance at the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft in the Second Phase of the NHL Draft Lottery, which will be held Aug. 10.
"I probably know each guy's game [on the Rangers] a little better [than his Hurricanes teammates] and I'll definitely give some inside scoops to try to give us the best chance to win," Skjei said.