In 1959 he led the AHL in goals with 43 and scored 85 points, earning a place on the league's Second All-Star Team, and his rights were dealt to the New York Rangers of the NHL.

While playing with future Hall of Famers such as Jean Ratelle and Doug Harvey, Schinkel led the Clippers in scoring two of those seasons.

On April 11, 1970, Schinkel scored three goals for Pittsburgh in a Stanley Cup playoff game versus the Oakland Seals.

He held a variety of positions, including assistant general manager and scouting director in overseeing the drafting of Mario Lemieux in 1984.

He stayed with the Penguins through 1989, then followed Eddie Johnston to the Hartford Whalers, where he remained in the front office for the rest of his hockey career.