Official: Skinner Signs 8 year, $72MM Extension

[Radar]

Oh, how I miss those days of "the owner is cheap" , "we can't afford the top guys", " we can't compete financially". Been around since the inception of both franchises and one consistent is a large faction of whiners. Enough so to heavily support our local station having a whiner line. I speculate some of those complaining about this deal would be some of t h e same screaming if we let him walk.

 

[Hoss]

This is fun

[7+6=13]

8 minutes ago, Drunkard said:

No problem. We can agree to disagree. After 23 and 48 left and seeing what it did, I will always prioritize centers over wingers. The vast differences in the 2 contracts just magnifies it even further in my eyes but everyone sees it differently. 

Absolutely, that's what this forum is for, to have discussion about the team we love.  

IMO, this may be the most important off season in a decade.  I don't just mean what we do in free agency but it's critical some young player(s) fill holes.  

[calti]

2 hours ago, New Scotland (NS) said:

Maybe that's because they are not the worst team in the NHL?

The roster is lacking, but the coaching was also lacking.  The system that was tried did not work well with the players on hand.

I agree with you re the coaching. But  until proven otherwise that they are in fact the worst team in the nhl --proven by the last 2/3 of last season.

[nfreeman]

1 hour ago, DarthEbriate said:

But were we in such a bad place with O'Reilly?  Sure, he said he'd lost love for the game on locker room cleanout day...  but he's a perfectionist who'd be been on horrible teams for 5 of his 6 seasons. By training camp he'd be good to go again, especially after the Skinner acquisition. Eichel-Skinner; O'Reilly-Reinhart would have been a nifty way to start last season. (And Mitts can friendly starts and minutes.) Alas. All in the past.

Well, there’s no way of knowing how it would’ve worked out if JB had simply decided not to trade ROR.  I don’t think we can just assume that ROR would’ve delivered a strong season as a Sabre this year like he did for STL.  

ROR was one of the “leaders” on a team that finished DFL, and then it sure sounds like he asked for a trade and tried to force the GM’s hand.  I think most GMs would’ve traded him in that situation.  

[LTS]

2 hours ago, Drunkard said:

Because it gives Skinner complete control over if and when he is moved and it has the potential to completely suppress any return we could get from trading him if he agrees to be traded down the road, just like it did when Carolina traded him to us. On the bright side I guess it doesn't matter because Botterill wouldn't know how to leverage it anyway since O'Reilly had zero trade protections and we saw how that turned out. It will hamper Botterill's replacement in the future though.

1 hour ago, nfreeman said:

I’m on board with Skinner’s contract, but Marner is better than Skinner   

It wasn't really about who is better, but what's the better situation for the team.  Toronto has to face a player who is demanding $11M per year on a team where the two players they are paying that much already (or more) scored less than him.

I'm glad the Sabres only have to worry about Jeff Skinner at $9M. 

[nfreeman]

25 minutes ago, LTS said:

 

It wasn't really about who is better, but what's the better situation for the team.  Toronto has to face a player who is demanding $11M per year on a team where the two players they are paying that much already (or more) scored less than him.

I'm glad the Sabres only have to worry about Jeff Skinner at $9M. 

This is quite reasonable, but I still think I'd rather have Toronto's situation with Marner -- a better player who is an RFA, not a UFA -- than Buffalo's situation with Skinner. 

[Formerly Allan in MD]

For this team, it's actually a baby step.

[PalmTreeMafia]

1 hour ago, 7+6=13 said:

I get it, but Skinner is so much more important for this team than O'Reilly was and would be.  So if it's an either or,  it's an easy choice.  

Of course we need a 2C and desperately.  O'Reilly would be the perfect player for the job in theory but hey JBot and/or the owners didn't want him on the team anymore.  We probably have 12-14 million to address 2C, top 6 winger and a top 4 defenseman.   Bit of a tall task but let's see what they do. 

Assuming we keep Ristolainen and re-sign McCabe, there's no urgent need to address defense this summer. That $12-14 million you cite needs to go to the far greater needs of a 2C and a top-6 winger.

[PerreaultForever]

Ultimately, I think it was too much money and so in the long run I think we're screwed. Hope I'm wrong. 

[7+6=13]

48 minutes ago, Marchand'sNose said:

Assuming we keep Ristolainen and re-sign McCabe, there's no urgent need to address defense this summer. That $12-14 million you cite needs to go to the far greater needs of a 2C and a top-6 winger.

McCabe IMO, is the exact type of player we need to move away from.  He's not a top 4.  

[Sabel79]

 

[sodbuster]

5 minutes ago, Sabel79 said:

 

I hate when he does this. 

[Thorner]

5 hours ago, dudacek said:

Curious how people see last summer overall:

Basically, Skinner, Sobotka, Thompson and a first for O’Reilly, Pu and 3rd.

 

It shouldn't be framed as a swap like this because that is not what it is. It still looks terrible, as we should have Skinner and ROR on one side of the ledger. 

Edited June 8, 2019 by Thorny

[Thorner]

3 hours ago, dudacek said:

They were definitely separate deals and can be judged independently.

Where I was going is less about judging the deals and more about judging Botterill based on his body of work.

The ROR deal is definitely the biggest element for the huge “Botts is a moron“ contingent. And because of the playoffs it has been front and centre. The contract has shone the light on what most would consider his best move, acquiring Skinner.

Im curious how Sabrespace weighs the two. @Drunkard is think has done a good job responding. I’d like to hear what others think.

It's, at best, a net neutral. (IF you consider Skinner as valuable as ROR, and that's a big if). 

But a net neutral summer is an abject failure for a building team, a team that finished in last place. 

Edited June 8, 2019 by Thorny

[Hoss]

10 minutes ago, sodbuster said:

I hate when he does this. 

Right? He  bashes the big heads for doing things for attention then pulls this all the time.

I'd assume it's nothing too exciting. Probably just some contract details.

[Thorner]

3 hours ago, nfreeman said:

Well, there’s no way of knowing how it would’ve worked out if JB had simply decided not to trade ROR.  I don’t think we can just assume that ROR would’ve delivered a strong season as a Sabre this year like he did for STL.  

ROR was one of the “leaders” on a team that finished DFL, and then it sure sounds like he asked for a trade and tried to force the GM’s hand.  I think most GMs would’ve traded him in that situation.  

And how many times has it been mentioned that tHe bLuEs wErE sTILL tErRitble once ROR got there, and only when Binnington came up were they good? ROR would have been great here just like in STL, with the proper additions. 

[Hoss]

John Wawrow's stupid ***** "hmmmm" ***** was because he got an interview with Jeff Skinner. What a dope.

[nfreeman]

35 minutes ago, sodbuster said:

I hate when he does this. 

25 minutes ago, Hoss said:

Right? He  bashes the big heads for doing things for attention then pulls this all the time.

I'd assume it's nothing too exciting. Probably just some contract details.

9 minutes ago, Hoss said:

John Wawrow's stupid ***** "hmmmm" ***** was because he got an interview with Jeff Skinner. What a dope.

Careful boys.  In a couple of months he'll show up at 3:00 AM and start yelling at you for these. 

 

 

[Ripper]

All this talk about ROR and how JBott made a huge mistake.  I wish we could move past this but I understand why it won't happen.  Funny for all of the

 detractors out there --- he may have been just doing what the owners wanted.  IF, in fact he vigorously tried to talk the owners out of making the trade and was unsuccessful, he is probably regarded highly by ownership.  Much the opposite of public opinion.

[Thorner]

3 minutes ago, Ripper said:

All this talk about ROR and how JBott made a huge mistake.  I wish we could move past this but I understand why it won't happen.  Funny for all of the

 detractors out there --- he may have been just doing what the owners wanted.  IF, in fact he vigorously tried to talk the owners out of making the trade and was unsuccessful, he is probably regarded highly by ownership.  Much the opposite of public opinion.

It's certainly a possibility, but I kind of chuckle a bit when this is framed as a positive of sorts. Are we in a worse position if Botterill gaffed on ROR, or if ownership is forcing him to deal our best players, even after adamant opposition from said GM?

Edited June 8, 2019 by Thorny

[Cityo'Rasmii]

Methinks it's time to get well beyond the ROR thing (this is a Skinner extension thread anyway)

Edited June 8, 2019 by Cityo'Rasmii

[Brawndo]

https://www.nhl.com/sabres/fans/jeff-skinner

[irregularly irregular]

18 hours ago, Neo said:

Over/Under ....  200 goals during the contract?

No criticism of JBot or today, but I’ll take under.

I like the idea you've offered here Neo. How about a step further and think about a complete player and how many points he will have over the 8 years? Where are you drawing the line at that would make you happy that his production is equal to or greater than the contract? 400 points, 450 points, 500 points, 550, 600? If Skinner gives us 500 points over the life of this contract ( I think this is achievable, especially as the team improves over the the next few years that he is in his prime) I would be okay with that, but absolutely expect more from him. Production greater than the value of his contract is the 600 point range for me. I hope he reaches that lofty level by the end of year 6!

[Sabel79]

1 hour ago, Hoss said:

John Wawrow's stupid ***** "hmmmm" ***** was because he got an interview with Jeff Skinner. What a dope.

All that wind up and the pitch bounced three feet in front of the plate... I thought maybe some sort of interesting tidbit had surfaced.  Instead we get Jeff Skinner: “welp, gotta score goals...”