Friedman: Jeff Skinner Buyout is a possibility.

[thedjpd]

Adams would never trade Kulich and 11 for TK without an extension,(he has commented on never trading futures for players without guaranteed team control countless times) and TK can't be extended until after the draft, all of which would likely be an even bigger hurdle than convincing Skinner to waive his NMC.

So I did mention it's assuming a TK extension, and he just can't officially sign until after the draft. Doesn't mean they don't know or wouldn't discuss - happens all the time.

I doubt the deal (if value is fair in principle) would break down because of that reason. They'd know, as soon as it was proposed, whether TK would be willing and the number it would take well before they hammer out the signatures.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Just so we are also clear, EF and Adams have a very icy relationship and I’d be weary about any claims he’s making

EF is legitimately one of the most connected people in the sport.

He doesn't just make shit up.

 

[MOGlLNY]

EF is legitimately one of the most connected people in the sport.

He doesn't just make shit up.

no he doesn’t and I like EF. but he’s said himself he often doesn’t get information from buffalo’s camp. So if he’s hearing this it most likely is not from them and from another team / an agent. Which is why I said be weary as I don’t think you can take it to the bank it’s gonna happen (I hope it does).

That being said all of us on the Sabres board have said it makes sense to buy him out this year or next. So I could see it happening.

 

[Pavels Dog]

Man it was like a year ago some Buffalo fan argued Skinner was better than Larkin.

 

[SabreOil]

If he gets bought out it makes a ton of sense to go to Edm on a cheap 1 year deal to play with McDavid and Draisaitl. Pump his numbers up for his next deal and finally make the playoffs too. Holland loves these types of adds(if he's still the gm).

 

[Irie]

So I did mention it's assuming a TK extension, and he just can't officially sign until after the draft. Doesn't mean they don't know or wouldn't discuss - happens all the time.

I doubt the deal (if value is fair in principle) would break down because of that reason. They'd know, as soon as it was proposed, whether TK would be willing and the number it would take well before they hammer out the signatures.

The proposal requires three things that are incredibly unlikely.

1. Konecny signing an extension with Buffalo before playing a single game with them while being just a year away from UFA (I don't see this happening unless Buffalo grossly overpays, which makes the motivation to make the trade in the first place moot).

2. Skinner has to waive his NMC to go to Philly to play under Torts. (this one feels like a great premise for a comedy sketch)

3. Adams has to agree to a trade with just a player's word that they will extend and not have buyers remorse for Buffalo for a week. (Adams is a calculating guy that doesn't take risks very often, not to mention he absolutely loves his draft picks. He's traded like one pick in a deal that wasn't a draft pick swap in the 4 years he's been the Sabres GM. It's going to take a crazy offer to get him to part with 11).

Now, as much as I hate to rain on your fantasy proposal parade, I think you'd have a better chance of winning the lottery and being struck by lightning on the same day than all of the above chips falling into place for that deal to go down.

 

[CokenoPepsi]

Yeah but I don’t see him getting that. I see him hopping around on 1 year deals personally. Does he want the safety of the extra years? I think that dictates it.

You don't see him getting 3.5 per? Cap going up

 

[The Hockey Tonk Man]

If he gets bought out it makes a ton of sense to go to Edm on a cheap 1 year deal to play with McDavid and Draisaitl. Pump his numbers up for his next deal and finally make the playoffs too. Holland loves these types of adds(if he's still the gm).

If he gets bought out, I don’t think anyone will be giving him anything close to what he’s making now haha. Contract was ridiculous the day it was signed

 

[JTToilinginToronto]

I'd like NYI to sign him cheap (and only one year) if he'd come.

Come play next to Barzal, score 30+, cash in on some sucker team in the summer of 2025.

 

[MOGlLNY]

You don't see him getting 3.5 per? Cap going up

For multiple years? No. For 1 year? I’d say so. Depends if he wants to keep taking prove it deals or not.

Also getting bought out by a team that’s looking to gear up this offseason to make the playoffs isn’t a good look.

 

[Leafs87]

This seems like one of those situations where retaining 50% would be better than a buyout, but maybe there's no takers

He has a NMC. He can force a buyout. Pairing his buyout safety net money he can then pick a destination of his choice and give a discount. Otherwise his services at 4.5X3 may be a bunch of bottom feeders. I imagine playoffs are a priority for him as he’s played 1000 games without ever making the playoffs

 

[Mattilaus]

Man it was like a year ago some Buffalo fan argued Skinner was better than Larkin.

Oh man that's crazy. A single person said that a year ago? Wild....

 

[StreetHawk]

He has a NMC. He can force a buyout. Pairing his buyout safety net money he can then pick a destination of his choice and give a discount. Otherwise his services at 4.5X3 may be a bunch of bottom feeders. I imagine playoffs are a priority for him as he’s played 1000 games without ever making the playoffs

Between getting to the PO and staying in the East, his better option is to go with the buyout, which Parise and Suter did. Parise lost money on it, Suter made more after it. Skinner, likely to not make up the $7.333 mill difference if he's going to a PO team.

 

[Ace]

EF is legitimately one of the most connected people in the sport.

He doesn't just make shit up.

Then he must be telling the truth when he flat out says Buffalo doesn’t tell him anything and admits that all his stuff on them comes second hand and from an opposing agenda.

Because he doesn’t just make shit up.

 

[um]

Man it was like a year ago some Buffalo fan argued Skinner was better than Larkin.

Someone said something crazy on the internet?!?

Not sure I believe you.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Then he must be telling the truth when he flat out says Buffalo doesn’t tell him anything and admits that all his stuff on them comes second hand and from an opposing agenda.

Because he doesn’t just make shit up.

Who knows where he gets his info from, that's not something I can answer.

But I do know EF is legitimate

 

[Beerz]

The thing is, you probably would get a 30 goal guy with Skinner *IF* you are willing to play him in your top 6 with players that create space.

Skinner was leading the team in points the first half of the season, and his big drop in production was really due to his change in linemates. We saw the exact same thing happen in 2019-20 and 2020-21 when he was playing in the bottom six.

Skinner doesn't even really need PP time to score, as he scored by far most of his goals at even strength(close to 80% historically), he just needs to play with a line-driver(he can't create offense on his own).

The cost with Skinner is that he cheats offensively and is not at all positionally sound defensively, Play him with players that create space for him and he should score goals in bunches, but know that he is going to cost the team a lot of chances going the other way. If you can counter that, he may be useful for a team needing goals, but if you can't plan for it, he may cost your team as many goals as he produces. The one bonus with Skinner is that he is constantly chirping and getting under opponents skin, and he tends to draw a lot of penalties for your team, which can be valuable.

He went downhill after getting absolutely cremated by MacKinnon

 

[tsujimoto74]

Skinner ain't waiving for CHI.

Also, more importantly, Skinner at $4.5m absolutely does not have negative value—that trade is bending Buffalo over a barrel even if Jeff would entertain the destination.

 

[tsujimoto74]

Would Buffalo trade their pick for team take his contract?

No. We don’t need the cap space. I assume we’d easily choose to buy him out before pissing away assets to trade him.

 

[tsujimoto74]

EF is legitimately one of the most connected people in the sport.

He doesn't just make shit up.

Tbf he does with Buffalo. He hasn’t had any sources within the Sabres org since he decided to be Eichel’s mouthpiece when he forced his way out of town.

 

[Sabreality]

Who knows where he gets his info from, that's not something I can answer.

But I do know EF is legitimate

He's gotten far less reliable in recent years and often passes off speculation as some sort of insider info. He's gotten clickbaity, anyone with a brain could come up with the 'idea' that buying out Skinner could be a possibility. It isn't news and there is no accountability anymore in the modern twitter-age.

 

[Beerz]

Man it was like a year ago some Buffalo fan argued Skinner was better than Larkin.

Blessed be his name... Saint Dylan.

 

[Djp]

Yeah they mentioned that too, that he had 1 really big year like they said with the cap shooting up that's not really a big deal.

By the time it hits 6.5 the capi will be close to 100 million, maybe even 100 million.

And certainly by the time he's making 2.5

The issue is him and Ruff clashing

Buffalo can retain and get him to $5M vs buy put.

 

[CokenoPepsi]

Surprised people think Skinner wouldn't make up the 7 million he would lose from a buyout.

The last three seasons he's scored 24, 35, 33 goals and he just entering his 32 season.... I'd be shocked if he didn't get a few million as a free agent

I'd say worse case he breaks even which I'm sure he'd be ok with it he got to go to any sort of competitive team

 

[Bounces R Way]

One of those contracts you just knew was going to go terribly wrong the day it was signed.

Let's see a Tavares or Marner for Skinner swap
maximum chaos