We consider a 1-parameter family of metric connections with totally skew-symmetric torsion tensors on a Riemannian manifold and derive a Weitzenböck formula for the Laplace operator, arising from such a connection. Various notions related to the family are defined and developed in the process, mimicking what is normally done with the Levi-Civita connection. We investigate the matter of skew torsion further by introducing weakly non-degenerate and non-degenerate split torsion and show examples of manifolds, admitting such connections.