Confirmed with Link: Jeff Skinner re-signs. 8 years, $9M AAV. Buyout Likely

[Mattilaus]

Re: Kane bringing the same thing as Skinner, the worst part of our team last year was the powerplay. I don't think many people would argue that. Kane produces on the PP. Skinner does not. Skinner actually seems to drag down the powerplay.

Ignoring literally everything else, if we sign Kane to say 2 x 6, at the very LEAST he should help the powerplay and with the Skinner buyout, would be taking up the same amount of cap space as Skinner alone. 2 year deal also gets him off the roster before the bad buy out year and we can fill his spot with an ELC in that year. Hopefully by then the overall team is better and we have a couple ELCs worthy of the spot.

 

[Fjordy]

Last year in Detroit, he put up 47 pts (20g+27a) in 50 games coming off of hip resurfacing surgery that many were skeptical he could come back from.

I would be confident that Kane would give the Sabres more in the top six and on the PP than Skinner would in 2024-25.

I get all the off the ice/character questions about PKane. But, from a pure on the ice POV, I'd take PKane next year over Skinner.

I agree, Kane definitely better than Skinner and fills some flags for us. Although I would have preferred Buch or even DeBrusk to UFA first. I think they can help us better than Kane or especially Skinner.

 

[tsujimoto74]

Re: Kane bringing the same thing as Skinner, the worst part of our team last year was the powerplay. I don't think many people would argue that. Kane produces on the PP. Skinner does not. Skinner actually seems to drag down the powerplay.

Ignoring literally everything else, if we sign Kane to say 2 x 6, at the very LEAST he should help the powerplay and with the Skinner buyout, would be taking up the same amount of cap space as Skinner alone. 2 year deal also gets him off the roster before the bad buy out year and we can fill his spot with an ELC in that year. Hopefully by then the overall team is better and we have a couple ELCs worthy of the spot.

Skinner isn’t good on the PP, but I don’t think it’s any secret that our struggles there were because of coaching, not player personnel.

 

[Mattilaus]

Skinner isn’t good on the PP, but I don’t think it’s any secret that our struggles there were because of coaching, not player personnel.

For sure, but part of it was not having the personnel. Our PP sucked because everyone knew Tage was the shooter. Shut him down and the PP is cooked. Kane puts a 2nd threat that you need to respect on that PP unit. That's how I see it anyways.

 

[UnleashRasmus]

I haven't been around for a while, this is one of those damned if you do, damned if you don't situations. Skinner produces second line numbers regardless of who he's paired with as linemates, and has put up larger sample sizes playing with Thompson and Tuch. He's not a defensive minded forward, but he's not as bad as Olofsson was. If you buy him out, then you're going to have to replace him. The market isn't starving to come to Buffalo. So for that reason, I'm keeping Skinner personally for the 24-25 season and assessing afterwards. Unless you can find a San Jose, Utah, Chicago situation that is willing to take him on. In only that sense, do I move him this year. A buyout doesn't do much for a team that is on the cusp of a playoff spot. (Yes, we're there, just need the right tweaks.)

 

[Fjordy]

 

[Ace]

I haven't been around for a while, this is one of those damned if you do, damned if you don't situations. Skinner produces second line numbers regardless of who he's paired with as linemates, and has put up larger sample sizes playing with Thompson and Tuch. He's not a defensive minded forward, but he's not as bad as Olofsson was. If you buy him out, then you're going to have to replace him. The market isn't starving to come to Buffalo. So for that reason, I'm keeping Skinner personally for the 24-25 season and assessing afterwards. Unless you can find a San Jose, Utah, Chicago situation that is willing to take him on. In only that sense, do I move him this year. A buyout doesn't do much for a team that is on the cusp of a playoff spot. (Yes, we're there, just need the right tweaks.)

He is provably, decidedly worse defensively than Olofsson was.

There is also no place for him in the top six…dude got demoted under a coach who had no standard. You think Lindy Ruff is going to roll him out in a top six role? As for putting up second line number with anyone…he has proven twice under two coaches that if he isn’t allowed to cheat on offense, never backcheck, never forecheck (which is what Lindy wants most of all), and just flat out give up on pucks if contact is possible while gifted offensive zone starts and top linemates…he scores below a replacement level. And he’s been the #1 PP destroyer his entire time here.

Consider the end of last season his tryout. 13 games off the top line. 0 goals. 1 assist. 0 effort. 9 million dollars.

You want to get harder to play against? Start by getting rid of the softest guy. Stop gifting him unearned minutes and absolutely do not let him tank any chance of having a decent bottom six.

Times up.

You can’t both want to win and continue to employ the literal biggest loser in NHL history

Here Is a list of players that are better suited for a role on this team than an aging Jeff Skinner -

List of NHL players - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Pick one

 

[Fjordy]

He is provably, decidedly worse defensively than Olofsson was.

There is also no place for him in the top six…dude got demoted under a coach who had no standard. You think Lindy Ruff is going to roll him out in a top six role? As for putting up second line number with anyone…he has proven twice under two coaches that if he isn’t allowed to cheat on offense, never backcheck, never forecheck (which is what Lindy wants most of all), and just flat out give up on pucks if contact is possible while gifted offensive zone starts and top linemates…he scores below a replacement level. And he’s been the #1 PP destroyer his entire time here.

Consider the end of last season his tryout. 13 games off the top line. 0 goals. 1 assist. 0 effort. 9 million dollars.

You want to get harder to play against? Start by getting rid of the softest guy. Stop gifting him unearned minutes and absolutely do not let him tank any chance of having a decent bottom six.

Times up.

You can’t both want to win and continue to employ the literal biggest loser in NHL history

Here Is a list of players that are better suited for a role on this team than an aging Jeff Skinner -

List of NHL players - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Pick one

I think this board is so saturated with years of losses that their minds are clouded. Some want to keep Skinner (even though Lindy said defense is where the whole team should be working). Some are ready to give the spot to Krebs as a 3C (well, because that's how he sees it), let's experiment and develop Krebs, and if it doesn't work, well, we screwed up again, 14 years without the playoffs, why not. I don’t want to offend anyone, it’s just that I’m already getting the feeling that years of suffering have broken us.

 

[TageGod]

If KA can add two players this offseason:

A top 6 winger
Middle 6C

Our top 3 lines will be set. UFA to get in the 4th line.

If you do not buyout Skinner, there is not really room to add any significant piece outside of 3C. He needs to be in the top 6 or it is a waste, yet he does not make the lines better. There is no better statement to make to this team than getting rid of the player who won't play defense or adapt his game. This team has had a nonexistent third line since Adams got here. Skinner is proven to do just that on the third line.

 

[MOGlLNY]

we can build Jeff skinner in the aggregate

 

[Bobby Bottle Service]

The buyout window is officially open. Time to exorcise.

 

[Fjordy]

The buyout window is officially open. Time to exorcise.

Isn't it 48 hours after the cup final?

 

[Bobby Bottle Service]

Isn't it 48 hours after the cup final?

Ooops, premature evacuation.

 

[Jacob582]

People are getting way too excited about this Jeff Skinner buyout.

 

[TehDoak]

we can build Jeff skinner in the aggregate

Well, I've got his defensive zone coverage finished.

 

[Sabre Dance]

Not sure getting rid of goal scorers makes sense. But this is the Sabres, so it makes sense.

 

[Sabre Dance]

If KA can add two players this offseason:

A top 6 winger
Middle 6C

Our top 3 lines will be set. UFA to get in the 4th line.

If you do not buyout Skinner, there is not really room to add any significant piece outside of 3C. He needs to be in the top 6 or it is a waste, yet he does not make the lines better. There is no better statement to make to this team than getting rid of the player who won't play defense or adapt his game. This team has had a nonexistent third line since Adams got here. Skinner is proven to do just that on the third line.

Let’s be realistic, Kevyn Adams is not going to add 2 good players to the roster.

 

[TageGod]

Let’s be realistic, Kevyn Adams is not going to add 2 good players to the roster.

Then get used to Skinner.

 

[Sabre Dance]

Then get used to Skinner.

Skinner isn’t the Sabres problem. But we can pretend he is.

 

[TageGod]

Skinner isn’t the Sabres problem. But we can pretend he is.

His contract is the problem. Can't add two good players because of his cap. You can add one good player.

 

[Sabre Dance]

His contract is the problem. Can't add two good players because of his cap. You can add one good player.

The contract is what it is. I have zero faith in Adams adding a 20+ goal scorer.

What I see happening is they buyout Skinner and use his cap space on 1-2 players that can’t play.

 

[Fjordy]

The contract is what it is. I have zero faith in Adams adding a 20+ goal scorer.

What I see happening is they buyout Skinner and use his cap space on 1-2 players that can’t play.

Jeff wants out, Buffalo wants out, it's that simple. Let's see who Adams adds and then we'll draw our own conclusions.

 

[Sabre Dance]

Jeff wants out, Buffalo wants out, it's that simple. Let's see who Adams adds and then we'll draw our own conclusions.

Jeff wants out?

We already know they won’t successfully add players. They have to overpay for anything average or above. That’s if they can even convince the player to meet with them.

 

[Fjordy]

Jeff wants out?

We already know they won’t successfully add players. They have to overpay for anything average or above. That’s if they can even convince the player to meet with them.

I read on another board that it was a mutual decision. I'm not so skeptical that Adams won't be able to add good players. Quite the opposite.

 

[BloFan4Life]

I can't wait for Skinner to be off this team. The guy just isn't good. The amount of offensive zone time he gets, he should be producing a lot more.