Confirmed with Link: Jeff Skinner -- Bought Out 6/29/24

[Chainshot]

I'm not sure any of the rookies are going to be better defensively than Skinner but if they are similar while providing similar output... that makes things possible.

 

[Zman5778]

I'm not sure any of the rookies are going to be better defensively than Skinner but if they are similar while providing similar output... that makes things possible.

I wager to say that they can't be any worse defensively than Skinner. Although Peterka is trying hard to emulate him.

 

[Diaspora]

I'm not sure any of the rookies are going to be better defensively than Skinner but if they are similar while providing similar output... that makes things possible.

Benson's not a rookie and was better than Skinner defensively last year.

I think our top six will be ok (not great -- ok). If we can build an above-average bottom six, we'll make the playoffs. Finding a great winger would be a bonus this year.

 

[old kummelweck]

I think Adams didn't like the fit on the top two lines for skinner, and he can't play 3rd line, so out he goes. I am not worried about replacing his goals - if they fix the fundamentals, they have the talent to cover those.

 

[Chainshot]

Benson's not a rookie and was better than Skinner defensively last year.

I think our top six will be ok (not great -- ok). If we can build an above-average bottom six, we'll make the playoffs. Finding a great winger would be a bonus this year.

Benson's a different sort of player. Expecting every rookie to be like him isn't fair to the other guys.

In the meantime, Skinner's time had come to a close. I would imagine there are some teams who will be interested but since he wasn't willing to waive the NMC to go anywhere, this is what has led to.

 

[Diaspora]

Benson's a different sort of player. Expecting every rookie to be like him isn't fair to the other guys.

In the meantime, Skinner's time had come to a close. I would imagine there are some teams who will be interested but since he wasn't willing to waive the NMC to go anywhere, this is what has led to.

I don't expect every rookie to be like Benson (though Savoie might be). I'm just saying that even if we can't find a veteran top-six winger in trade or UFA, we may still have a better top-six this year after moving on from Skinner.

 

[Beerz]

Benson's not a rookie and was better than Skinner defensively last year.

I think our top six will be ok (not great -- ok). If we can build an above-average bottom six, we'll make the playoffs. Finding a great winger would be a bonus this year.

Benson is our best defensive forward and it's not even close

 

[old kummelweck]

Benson is our best defensive forward and it's not even close

I'd say he's the one where it came naturally. But my guess is this year we are going to see a few players surprise us once accountability is taken seriously.

 

[KiwiGriff]

The saddest thing about this, is who will host Between two Stalls?

 

[sabresnyper]

I’m laying $100 on who signes Skinner. That’s how this works, right?

 

[HaNotsri]

The saddest thing about this, is who will host Between two Stalls?

I will miss Skinner but I bet he's happy to pick a destination. He can chase money or a cup.
Would be cool to see him win it all with Mittelstadt. Less cool if he goes to Toronto...

 

[jBuds]

Best of luck in Utah

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

Weird, everyone was fine with him when he scored 82 points 2 seasons ago. Everyone was fine with him the year before when he scored 33 goals, 63 points, as well.

If you honestly think this is the start of his decline, ok, that’s an argument. If you’ve honestly felt his defensive a problem all along and that this was inevitable, sure. But I think a lot of folks will claim that second way of thinking, when really this has just gained momentum the past 6 months. Terry wants to save money, scapegoating Jeff is just the best way of doing that, and the Sabres have somehow masterfully gotten Sabres fans on their side with that.

If a rookie steps up and replaces him, sweet, it works out for once, but I don’t think we’re signing anyone special. Saying he doesn’t fit is an easy cop-out. Kuznetsov fit the Canes, but we can’t make Skinner work? Seemed to work 2 seasons ago. Sure, the line was all offense- remind me, why are Tuch’s and Thompson’s defensive failings on Skinner?

I get it, he’s the easy target in the witch-hunt, I’m just saying this doesn’t make us better. We aren’t better right now, so whatever the f*** some are celebrating- wait until an actual trade happens or they hit the ice and look improved. Until that happens I think we’ve just kinda fallen for the brass’ spin on this.

 

[Ehran]

Weird, everyone was fine with him when he scored 82 points 2 seasons ago. Everyone was fine with him the year before when he scored 33 goals, 63 points, as well.

I mean, you sort of answered your own question in the first paragraph.

When Skinner was producing, engaged, and whatnot his warts could be ignored. But when he's not, you can't ignore them.

The big problem, at least to me, is the influence he may have had on the youngsters in the lineup. They need veterans that show them the right way to play winning hockey in the NHL.

Skinner was most definitely not that person.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

I mean, you sort of answered your own question in the first paragraph.

When Skinner was producing, engaged, and whatnot his warts could be ignored. But when he's not, you can't ignore them.

The big problem, at least to me, is the influence he may have had on the youngsters in the lineup. They need veterans that show them the right way to play winning hockey in the NHL.

Skinner was most definitely not that person.

Eh, I think that assumes a lot in a wholly negative way, and kinda speaks to the scapegoating I see. Dude was on bad Canes teams and then worse Sabres ones. Not saying he’s done a ton to turn that all around, but he’s also seemingly never caused problems, took the Kruegering ok, has never had issues and does well in the community it seems. Again, if he’s in the locker room saying “ya relax man, it’s not that serious” then that’s a problem, but we have absolutely no evidence of that. If he’s just a guy you shouldn’t necessarily emulate on the ice, ok, guys are smart enough to separate that shit, and coaches are there to help. Idk, agree to disagree, but this is the (to me) odd sorta leap I’m seeing, justifications created out of nowhere.

Oh, and he was undoubtedly off last year. He’s bounced back before, is my point in the first part. If he has no explanation/promise to do better I’d understand, but we all just seem to assume the worst- when I assume the worst I assume he’s gonna go score 60+ points in Toronto and be a key cog there. We’ll see. It’s not like the *checks notes* past 2 Stanley cup champs have made better use of our disposed parts, but I’m sure this one will go better.

 

[Bobby Bottle Service]

Skinner leaving reminds me of Derek Roy. Thought I'd miss him, turns out I didn't.

 

[toddkaz]

I called the Skinner buyout on May 19th. Over one month before it happened and the story broke.

Its fun reading the responses saying it wont happen.

 

[DJN21]

Skinner leaving reminds me of Derek Roy. Thought I'd miss him, turns out I didn't.

Roy left for Ott who was an instant fan fav and didn't cost us for years to come...ik what you're saying but not really the same even if the player kinda is.

 

[paulmm3]

Had to buy him out. Only one bad cap hit year. I can't see inside the locker room but seems like a plus to buy him out in culture/win at all costs terms. Could see him helping a team like the mid 2010s Bruins but not us. He's offense only and soft and a bunch of our forwards are like that unfortunately. Skinner was the oldest, most expensive, most losing a step of all the offense only soft forwards.

 

[Dreakon13]

Is there anything to back up the idea that Skinner is some kind of problem in the locker room? Feels like people are just connecting a few dots that are vaguely there (was on losing teams in Carolina and Buffalo, doesn't play defense, etc) and just extrapolating it into "Skinner single handedly ruins everything he touches and is the cause of everything wrong in our lives so of course he has to go".

That being said, they bought him out for a reason, so maybe you're all onto something. I'm kinda coming in late but did they say why he was bought out?

 

[Ehran]

Is there anything to back up the idea that Skinner is some kind of problem in the locker room? Feels like people are just connecting a few dots that are vaguely there (was on losing teams in Carolina and Buffalo, doesn't play defense, etc) and just extrapolating it into "Skinner is the cause of everything wrong in our lives so of course he has to go".

That being said, they bought him out for a reason, so maybe you're all onto something. I'm kinda coming in late but did they say why he was bought out?

Is he in the locker room causing problems? Probably not. In everything I ever saw, he seems like a really nice guy.

The players love him. That is the problem.

He's a leader by example whether he wants to be or not, simply because of his production in previous seasons, his longevity, and his contract. When he doesn't play hard or bother to work consistently for pucks or play defense, they notice. Hard to tell young players to play defense "or else" when they've seen Skinner get away with it for years.

EDIT: In my management classes they had a concept called "level setting". Reset your organizations expectations and then hold to those new levels. This is the NHL version of "level setting".

 

[Dreakon13]

Yeah, I mean there was a period after ditching Krueger and trading Eichel where this group needed to have fun again and I think Skinner was overall a positive back then... but there comes a point where the good vibes need to end and the kids kinda grow up and get serious, and maybe Skinner is a head that needs to roll to get there.

I guess I'm still just kinda surprised they actually did it. That's an expensive message to spend, both in cash and in replacing his production (however diminished it was by the end of last year).

 

[Krieger Bot]

Better god damn justify this.

If this is to save Terry money, then I'm saving money too. No Sabres purchases in 24-25.

Yeah, this is where I'm at unfortunately. If they can use the cap space to bring in someone better? Great...but I have a lot of skepticism about that.

 

[Chainshot]

Weird, everyone was fine with him when he scored 82 points 2 seasons ago. Everyone was fine with him the year before when he scored 33 goals, 63 points, as well.

If you honestly think this is the start of his decline, ok, that’s an argument. If you’ve honestly felt his defensive a problem all along and that this was inevitable, sure. But I think a lot of folks will claim that second way of thinking, when really this has just gained momentum the past 6 months. Terry wants to save money, scapegoating Jeff is just the best way of doing that, and the Sabres have somehow masterfully gotten Sabres fans on their side with that.

If a rookie steps up and replaces him, sweet, it works out for once, but I don’t think we’re signing anyone special. Saying he doesn’t fit is an easy cop-out. Kuznetsov fit the Canes, but we can’t make Skinner work? Seemed to work 2 seasons ago. Sure, the line was all offense- remind me, why are Tuch’s and Thompson’s defensive failings on Skinner?

I get it, he’s the easy target in the witch-hunt, I’m just saying this doesn’t make us better. We aren’t better right now, so whatever the f*** some are celebrating- wait until an actual trade happens or they hit the ice and look improved. Until that happens I think we’ve just kinda fallen for the brass’ spin on this.

Age is the one opponent who remains undefeated.

 

[TehDoak]

Age is the one opponent who remains undefeated.

Eh, this contract was always a bad idea. His scoring always swung year to year.

The cautionary tale is you don't pay someone a massive contract with term and a NMC after an outlier year, which is what we did for Skinner.

I called this deal a 'This is a desperate bad deal made by a desperate, bad team' the day it was signed. And it was. Well overmarket. Full NMC. Max term. For a guy that had good year/bad year alternating his whole career.

In his 5 years here, we got his two best years and two worst years and a middling year. Age surely doesn't help, but he is who we thought he was.