Player Discussion Jeff Skinner

[TehDoak]

35 games played, 11 goals, 7 assists, -6

On pace for:

26 Goals, 16 Assists, -14

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[Jim Bob]

Getting an upgrade at 2C would solve so many issues.

Getting Skinner going would be one of them.

 

[Myllz]

He took a little tumble off the cliff.

 

[mechaworm]

Predictable to absolutely everyone once he left Eichel.

He's paid like a superstar, but he's a complementary piece.

 

[Chainshot]

I suppose we’re just gonna have to get used to these stretches of ineffectiveness. It’s that he has those hot moments where everything seems to be going in.

 

[Chainshot]

Predictable to absolutely everyone once he left Eichel.

He's paid like a superstar, but he's a complementary piece.

His even strength goal production is right on par with what he has done for his career regardless of who his center has been. What’s missing is any sort of production at all out of his line outside of him, which would give him the benefit of some additional points. That he is a complete non-factor on their PowerPlay is actually a little bit disturbing. I’ve had the thought for a while now that pulling him off of the first power-play and replacing him with someone to just go screen the goalie and play that bump position as a net front/sit jammer doesn’t require hands, it requires balls. And then design the second power play around him. Right now the top unit is functioning because of essentially three guys and players four and five are tits on a bull.

 

[old kummelweck]

He gets a pass in my book. Everyone knows a winger like Skinner can't do it on his own.

 

[Snippit]

Not worth 8M so far

When you lack explosiveness and play-making ability, your slumps become a lot more pronounced.

 

[Snippit]

He gets a pass in my book. Everyone knows a winger like Skinner can't do it on his own.

He has proven in the past that he can produce with Derek Ryan.

He gets no pass from me for being bad.

He’s also been useless on the PP

 

[jc17]

He was all over guys on the forecheck to start the season. Not seeing that as much lately, but I dont know if thats by choice or what Ralph is telling them to do

 

[Royal Thunder]

Yeah I would like to see him work more behind the net, he was very effective there last season. For me the biggest red flag about Skinner is how inept he is in transition... excellent edgework but simply does not have the speed to open up space when he skates with the puck.

 

[explore]

Not worth 8M so far

When you lack explosiveness and play-making ability, your slumps become a lot more pronounced.

His salary is $9 million.

He needs to drive his own line. He was good when Johansson was healthy earlier in the season, but now he can't carry the puck either.

I don't want him playing with Eichel. The first line is clicking, Olofsson is playing well with Eichel, don't mess with it.

 

[Snippit]

His salary is $9 million.

He needs to drive his own line. He was good when Johansson was healthy earlier in the season, but now he can't carry the puck either.

I don't want him playing with Eichel. The first line is clicking, Olofsson is playing well with Eichel, don't mess with it.

I know it’s 9M. He hasn’t been worth even 8M so far.

I think Reinhart should be moved with Skinner. The first line’s success right now has a lot to do with Eichel and Olofsson, and less to do with Reinhart.

 

[OkimLom]

He gets a pass in my book. Everyone knows a winger like Skinner can't do it on his own.

Wait, what? Then why pay him $9 million? He's a guy who was rewarded handsomely to produce, no matter the situation. That $9 million cap hit could've been used to improve 2 more roster spots in the forward ranks. Botts decided to give him a Long Term NMC $9 million contract (well $10 million this year and the next 5 years), so that we can use the excuse of "well, he's away from Eichel, did you really expect him to produce". And you're saying he gets a pass? Guy is producing at a .52 PPG pace which is 43 points. In his past 15 games, he has 3 goals 2 assists. THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH for a guy that this board was excited to see "with a real playmaker" after years of being asked to create on his own. This isn't the first time he's been tasked to create on his own. He has done it in the past.

 

[Buffaloed]

His salary is $9 million.

He needs to drive his own line. He was good when Johansson was healthy earlier in the season, but now he can't carry the puck either.

I don't want him playing with Eichel. The first line is clicking, Olofsson is playing well with Eichel, don't mess with it.

Until Dylan Cozens arrives or Mitts is ready, or Botts makes a move, Skinner is his own line. There's not enough forward depth in the organization to put together 2 scoring lines. They ought to sit MoJo if he's not 100%.

 

[Bendium]

I know it’s 9M. He hasn’t been worth even 8M so far.

I think Reinhart should be moved with Skinner. The first line’s success right now has a lot to do with Eichel and Olofsson, and less to do with Reinhart.

I also think Reinhart should be taken off Eichel's line and be the second line right wing. I think Skinner will prove to be worth his contract, but not until they finish putting the top six together and his line is set to feed him as the sniper he is, just like the first line is doing for Olofsson. Right now we only have 5 top six forwards and one of them (Johansson) is playing out of his best position. Skinner needs more setup than he is getting from Johansson and whoever is randomly playing right wing. I personally think Reinhart is the best passer in the top six with Eichel being very good as well. On Eichel's line he plays a support role to Jack and Victor. On the second line with Skinner his full skillset would get used more and he would be able to drive production instead of defer to Jack on the line. If he wants a big contract next year, its is in the driving role where he will get the value, not picking up garbage points with Jack.

The left wing is set with both Skinner and Olofsson filling a similar sniper roles somewhat interchangeable on the first and second line. The right wing is also set with Johansson and Reinhart being somewhat interchangeable on the top two lines. The problem we have is not having a second line center. Johansson is filling in adequately, but is not in his best position.

There are two possible fixes as I see it. One long term and one short term.

1. The long term is to trade for a solid second line center. If that was easy it would be done already.
2. The short term is to trade for a first line right wing. A rental will do just fine here as it is short term, and buys you time to be patient in your 2C search.

Either way to get your money's worth out of Skinner you will have to either put him with Jack or fix the structure of the second line.

 

[old kummelweck]

Wait, what? Then why pay him $9 million? He's a guy who was rewarded handsomely to produce, no matter the situation. That $9 million cap hit could've been used to improve 2 more roster spots in the forward ranks. Botts decided to give him a Long Term NMC $9 million contract (well $10 million this year and the next 5 years), so that we can use the excuse of "well, he's away from Eichel, did you really expect him to produce". And you're saying he gets a pass? Guy is producing at a .52 PPG pace which is 43 points. In his past 15 games, he has 3 goals 2 assists. THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH for a guy that this board was excited to see "with a real playmaker" after years of being asked to create on his own. This isn't the first time he's been tasked to create on his own. He has done it in the past.

If you want first line production out of Skinner, you either put him on the first line, or put him with two other top 6 forwards.

 

[Willgamesh]

Skinner has been stuck playing with black hole's on offense.

 

[OkimLom]

If you want first line production out of Skinner, you either put him on the first line, or put him with two other top 6 forwards.

Then he's not worth the $9 million cap hit. He's supposed to be a core player. He's supposed to be a guy to be counted on. He's being paid to be more than what he has shown.

 

[OkimLom]

Skinner has been stuck playing with black hole's on offense.

His best work prior to coming to Buffalo was playing with the black hole's of offense on Carolina.

 

[old kummelweck]

Then he's not worth the $9 million cap hit. He's supposed to be a core player. He's supposed to be a guy to be counted on. He's being paid to be more than what he has shown.

Doesn't matter what he's worth as this is what he costs. He's in your top 6 and now Botterill needs to build on that so Krueger has some personnel options to get production out of that second line. You don't tinker with the Eichel line at this point, so you can't move Skinner there and/or you can't move Olofsson/Reinhart off of it. So now Skinner gets a circulation of not-top-sixers like Johansson, ERod, Vesey.

Honestly, the second line seems to be Larsson and Okposo, and putting Skinner there at the end of yesterday's game may be a stroke of genius. Those guys drive possession and grind down defenders. That may be the secret formula needed to get Skinner going. It's not like he isn't putting the work in.

 

[mechaworm]

Doesn't matter what he's worth as this is what he costs. He's in your top 6 and now Botterill needs to build on that.

But he can't until at least next season, because Jeff Skinner left him no money to. So this is a year to see what Jeff Skinner can do driving his own line.

 

[Royisgone]

His even strength goal production is right on par with what he has done for his career regardless of who his center has been. What’s missing is any sort of production at all out of his line outside of him, which would give him the benefit of some additional points. That he is a complete non-factor on their PowerPlay is actually a little bit disturbing. I’ve had the thought for a while now that pulling him off of the first power-play and replacing him with someone to just go screen the goalie and play that bump position as a net front/sit jammer doesn’t require hands, it requires balls. And then design the second power play around him. Right now the top unit is functioning because of essentially three guys and players four and five are **** on a bull.

It takes nothing close to what it used to in terms of standing in front of the net on a PP, particularly in the regular season.

NHL hockey is almost unrecognizable on most nights by the standards of just 20 years ago.

 

[Royisgone]

Then he's not worth the $9 million cap hit. He's supposed to be a core player. He's supposed to be a guy to be counted on. He's being paid to be more than what he has shown.

Your comments here are exactly why I don't want to pay Reinhart a lot of money either.

He is another Sabre incapable of driving a line of offense by himself. And he's soft, and a bit of a floater to boot.

If you want to see point production drop, get Reinhart away from Eichel.

 

[Royisgone]

Until Dylan Cozens arrives or Mitts is ready, or Botts makes a move, Skinner is his own line. There's not enough forward depth in the organization to put together 2 scoring lines. They ought to sit MoJo if he's not 100%.

Dylan F-ing Cozens may never arrive. I don't think Mittelstadt will either. Hell, he has already come and gone!

It's always "next year" with these guys, waiting for their own picks to mature into something more than what they are.

But we are still in a bind. It's not like teams are out there just giving away 2C Conn Smythe winners for nothing!

Oh wait...goddamnit!