MCR74
Registered User
- Nov 11, 2022
- 3,830
- 4,596
Friedman: Jeff Skinner Buyout is a possibility.
- Thread starter LEAFANFORLIFE23
- Start date
- Status
The offer is literally a swap of 15 spots, from 11th to 26th.
Along with another F prospect that's on the cusp.
The buyout impact for Anderson (same duration) for Buffalo would be 11.3M instead of 19.7M, the 8.33M worth of savings and/or gamble of playing Anderson for a year to see if he'll do well on the team is also a more enticing option than just plain dead cap.
Worst case scenario, they buy him out next year and now the impact is 8.2M over 4 years (1 fewer year overall impact).
Also,
Heineman - Kulich?/UFA - Anderson
Would be a 4th line with size and a lot more impactful at 5v5 than Skinner, especially considering Buffalo mostly has undersized wingers on the team otherwise.
Ya hit is low next year (1.5ish), but then a 4.5 ish and a 6.5ish (yikes), followed by 2.5ish cap years.
If the only alternative is having Skinner on the roster, I try to look at the buyout with the question: is Buffalo a better team substituting Skinner for a $7.5M, a $4.5M, and a $2.5M player in each respective year remaining on his contract? If the answer is yes, and the improvement is enough to justify the $2.5M cap penalty in the following 3 years, the buyout is worth it.
I don't follow Buffalo close enough to judge whether it's a good idea, but I feel like it's easier to look at it this way than just focusing on how brutal a $4.5M and $6.5M cap hit will be.
- Feb 3, 2015
- 4,468
- 4,179
Surprised to see the interest in Skinner from other teams fans like Toronto and Boston.
Skinner would 100% accept a trade to Toronto.
What would it cost to get Skinner to Toronto double retained?
Buffalo retains 50% 3 x $4.5m. Buffalo receives future considerations. Buffalo does this because it's better than a buyout.
Chicago/Sj/whoever retains 50% @ 3 x $2.25m. What's the cost here? A Toronto 1st rounder?
Toronto receives Skinner 3 x $2.25m
Skinner would 100% accept a trade to Toronto.
What would it cost to get Skinner to Toronto double retained?
Buffalo retains 50% 3 x $4.5m. Buffalo receives future considerations. Buffalo does this because it's better than a buyout.
Chicago/Sj/whoever retains 50% @ 3 x $2.25m. What's the cost here? A Toronto 1st rounder?
Toronto receives Skinner 3 x $2.25m
MOGlLNY
Registered User
- Jan 5, 2008
- 11,972
- 11,994
If Buffalo is going to buy out Skinner is absolutely signifies they're going to replace his cap with players that fit with what they're looking to do to make the playoffs this season. Which is apparently a top 6 winger and a couple bottom 6 guys with an edge. They're not gonna buy him out just to get him off the books and stand pat.
Skinner in general is just making building the roster extremely difficult because it forces a "softer" player on the third line where the Sabres are trying to revamp that look a bit. It also squeezes out Kulich / Savoie / Rosén or would shoehorn them on the 4th line whenever they do get called up.
TheDawnOfANewTage
Dahlin, it’ll all be fine
- Dec 17, 2018
- 12,784
- 18,754
I’m a Skinner defender, and I don’t see why he can’t just stay on the 2nd line. He has chemistry with Thompson and Tuch, it’s just gotta get more defensively responsible. Plenty of other talent he could click with. Skinner is a defensive liability, he’s mercurial, but he’s a very good scorer with the right linemates. Our team structure has to improve, cutting Jeff would just feel like scapegoating a bit.
You know he’d sign in Toronto, score 60 points, and probably look better overall just like every former Sabre does, and we’d say “man, why couldn’t he do that here!?” as we continue to jettison guys at bad times.
MOGlLNY
Registered User
- Jan 5, 2008
- 11,972
- 11,994
I don't think you can live in fear of what a player will do with another team. I guess this depends on your opinion if this past season was a reflection of what's to come with Skinner due to his age or a one off because of his injury in the season. I get both.
I'm personally of the former so I think it's better to be proactive in this situation, use the cap space and fit the team more in the image of being harder to play against. Which Skinner was not this last season and I don't see it getting better.
MOGlLNY
Registered User
- Jan 5, 2008
- 11,972
- 11,994
Sure sounds like he's gone one way or another
TheDawnOfANewTage
Dahlin, it’ll all be fine
- Dec 17, 2018
- 12,784
- 18,754
It’s not fear, it’s noticing a trend with players who leave Buffalo. Reinhart, Montour, Erod, Vesey, Sheary, McCabe, and Zadorov, all off the top of my head, looked better upon leaving Buffalo. Players we trade or sign for tend to look better before playing here. So I’m just saying, brace yourselves for that. Meanwhile I’d start to wonder why so many guys play better elsewhere, but that’s just me.
But even ignoring that- we’d just be handing our rival a potential top 6 player at whatever price they like. If he plays hardball or the leafs don’t want him, ok, but he could join a playoff team right away at whatever price, and again- he’d likely click somewhere there.
I think he’s got a few good years left in the right situation- somehow we’d see that happen in Toronto, maybe it won’t happen in Buffalo- maybe we should wonder why that is, sometime.
Gil Gunderson
Registered User
MOGlLNY
Registered User
- Jan 5, 2008
- 11,972
- 11,994
Skinner has been just fine in Buffalo - he doesn't fit what they're looking for right now and is redundant at a crazy price tag. When even Don Granato stops giving you rope that's when you know you've got some things to fix.
I'd also say that Skinner is the opposite player that the Leafs need.
Zadorov also never played a game in Buffalo so I don't really get that lol. Vesey the guy who has been playing PTO to PTO until this year? Sheary was getting killed by Tampa fans this year. McCabe's best years were here maybe he was about the same in Chicago.
TheDoldrums
Registered User
why on earth would toronto spend a 1st on a guy who might be bought out and would probably target toronto as his next destination.
I'm sure Toronto is interested in Skinner as a FA. Also sure they would never deal a 1st for him regardless of the retention.
TheDawnOfANewTage
Dahlin, it’ll all be fine
- Dec 17, 2018
- 12,784
- 18,754
1) We’re going to cut him.
2) We won’t replace them.
3) Pegula will laugh all the way to his overseas tax haven on his mega yacht.
Seriously, what’s the plan here? We haven’t been spending, so why does shedding salary mean shit? And how has Pegula gotten people behind this?
MOGlLNY
Registered User
- Jan 5, 2008
- 11,972
- 11,994
I mean everything they've said this off-season shows that they're going to be spending and making moves this summer. Adams job depends on it.
If you haven't seen that idk what to tell you.
TheDawnOfANewTage
Dahlin, it’ll all be fine
- Dec 17, 2018
- 12,784
- 18,754
Sure, and the reason for our existence is to win the Stanley cup, and other tall tales Mr. Pegula tells me.
Ace
Registered User
- Oct 29, 2015
- 24,229
- 30,455
Anyone who questions buying out Skinner needs to look a little closer.
He can’t play on the PP. He fell out of the top six on a team coached by a man who didn’t even have a standard. They changed that coach. He played the last 13 games of the season on the third line. He scored 0 goals and had 1 assist. He’s an anchor when he isn’t allowed to float around waiting for the rest of the top line to do his work. He puts no effort in away from the puck. He actively avoids contact…letting the other team take possession cleanly if there’s any chance at getting touched. His go to play when he doesn’t have a shot is a blind backhand pass to the middle of the ice that leads to turnovers almost every time.
Now…you think it’s a strange call to cut him instead of cutting him a check for 10 million in cash to take up 9 million in cap space on a team that needs to win? The GM doesn’t have the luxury of waiting for the cap penalties to go down by waiting a year or two. He may not see another year or two. Nor did he sign this contract in the first place. He’s cleaning up a mess created by Botterill.
You don’t pay someone that much and sit them because it cuts one year of a 2.5 million dollar cap penalty off the back end. That’s six years from now. Adams isn’t seeing two years from now if he doesn’t make the team better. Something accomplished by not just having that much money sunk into an aging low effort liability…but also by subtracting that aging low effort liability.
He can’t play on the PP. He fell out of the top six on a team coached by a man who didn’t even have a standard. They changed that coach. He played the last 13 games of the season on the third line. He scored 0 goals and had 1 assist. He’s an anchor when he isn’t allowed to float around waiting for the rest of the top line to do his work. He puts no effort in away from the puck. He actively avoids contact…letting the other team take possession cleanly if there’s any chance at getting touched. His go to play when he doesn’t have a shot is a blind backhand pass to the middle of the ice that leads to turnovers almost every time.
Now…you think it’s a strange call to cut him instead of cutting him a check for 10 million in cash to take up 9 million in cap space on a team that needs to win? The GM doesn’t have the luxury of waiting for the cap penalties to go down by waiting a year or two. He may not see another year or two. Nor did he sign this contract in the first place. He’s cleaning up a mess created by Botterill.
You don’t pay someone that much and sit them because it cuts one year of a 2.5 million dollar cap penalty off the back end. That’s six years from now. Adams isn’t seeing two years from now if he doesn’t make the team better. Something accomplished by not just having that much money sunk into an aging low effort liability…but also by subtracting that aging low effort liability.
Mattilaus
Registered User
If you are not going to believe anything they say at all then what can anyone possibly tell you? Why bother following it or commenting on it? It's all lies anyways
All you can do is base your decisions on what that player can do for your club. If it's not working, what are you doing to change it if he remains?
Reality is that not every player will fit every situation. So, either you move off the player or you change some things with the team to try to make it work.
Beerz
Registered User
- Jun 28, 2011
- 36,400
- 12,646
What do you mean Zadorov never played a game in Buffalo?
MOGlLNY
Registered User
- Jan 5, 2008
- 11,972
- 11,994
Wow I blocked that era out. I stand corrected. 60 games. Either way I think think that’s the natural progression for Z I don’t think the Sabres cut bait with him more so went to obtain a stud center in ROR
This will open up a hole at LW2 (unless the Sabres plan on plugging in Greenway or Benson in that spot). I definitely think the Sabres will be signing or trading for a top-6 forward. I wonder who it will be?
bleedgreen
Registered User
Zadorov was a big time prospect for you guys! If I recall he’d already gotten into trouble with Buffalo. Maybe missed practices or something? I remember not being surprised he got moved after whatever happened, something to do with maturity. I think it was a mix of they needed to add a good piece and at the same time he was the easiest good piece to part with since he had issues.
Beerz
Registered User
- Jun 28, 2011
- 36,400
- 12,646
He was my favorite prospect at that time.
And yes he did miss a practice...and was disciplined
bleedgreen
Registered User
I’ve always thought he was a hell of a player. So much raw talent, especially his offensive game those first handful of years. When he got on his horse and carried the puck in CO it was fun to watch. Seemed like he’d nearly go end to end every other game and the announcers would laugh about what a handful he was in those situations and it would be so unexpected. If he had been a couple of inches smaller and less gangly he might’ve been a real stud because he could really skate for a big guy. Seems like he’s settled down now, maybe some injuries have taken their toll on his agility. I don’t get to watch him as much these last few years, though he stood out for the Nucks.
dirtydanglez
Registered User
- Oct 30, 2022
- 5,158
- 5,194
it would be cool to see him sign with a contender just to see what he's capable of in the playoffs.
- Status
