What does Jeff Skinner think about the signing?

[nfreeman]

10 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Why don't people think that Skinner will be playing with Eichel next year?  The Hall McDavid combo didn't work because both players wanted the puck in the offensive zone.  I don't think that is all that different then Hall Eichel.  I believe Skinner will be Jack's LW to start the season and Hall will be on Staal's wing.  

I'm thinking our 1-2 punch will be

Skinner Eichel Reinhart

Hall Staal VO

Where you will see Hall and Jack together is the No. 1 PP.  The addition of Hall gives Jack more of an opportunity to launch the shot from high slot or top of the face off circle.  

Well, I can't speak for others on this but I am interpreting statements by Hall, KA and RK as pretty consistently indicating that the plan is for Hall to be on Jack's wing.

[GASabresIUFAN]

1 minute ago, nfreeman said:

Well, I can't speak for others on this but I am interpreting statements by Hall, KA and RK as pretty consistently indicating that the plan is for Hall to be on Jack's wing.

That may well be the initial plan, but a similar plan failed in Edm with McDavid.  Hall is a driver of offense.  Jack is a driver of offense.  Seems like duplicate effort.  That said if Hall wants to become a feeder for Jack's shot, I'm ok with the that, but I don't think that the best use of these two players. 

[nfreeman]

Just now, GASabresIUFAN said:

That may well be the initial plan, but a similar plan failed in Edm with McDavid.  Hall is a driver of offense.  Jack is a driver of offense.  Seems like duplicate effort.  That said if Hall wants to become a feeder for Jack's shot, I'm ok with the that, but I don't think that the best use of these two players. 

Hall and Jack are both fast, powerful, pass-first guys who can also score a lot of goals.  They will set each other up and complement each other beautifully.  Meanwhile, VO, also fast, is much less able a playmaker than the other 2, but might be a better finisher.

The mind reels. 

[bunomatic]

Its been a loooooong time since we’ve had problems like these. Have we ever had problems like these ? Anyways they are good problems to have.

[Curt]

26 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

Hall and Jack are both fast, powerful, pass-first guys who can also score a lot of goals.  They will set each other up and complement each other beautifully.  Meanwhile, VO, also fast, is much less able a playmaker than the other 2, but might be a better finisher.

The mind reels. 

Not to poop on him, because I like him fine, but I think people really overestimate how much of a factor Olofsson was at ES last season.  He wasn’t that impactful.  On the line with Eichel-Reinhart, he scored 9 goals in 54 games.  Girgensons had 11 in 69.  Skinner, 14 in 59.  Reinhart 17, Jack 26.  Johansson, Sheary, Vesey and Okposo all had 8.

On the PP?  Total weapon.  At ES?  Just kinda ok.

[nfreeman]

1 minute ago, Curt said:

Not to poop on him, because I like him fine, but I think people really overestimate how much of a factor Olofsson was at ES last season.  He wasn’t that impactful.  On the line with Eichel-Reinhart, he scored 9 goals in 54 games.  Girgensons had 11 in 69.  Skinner, 14 in 59.  Reinhart 17, Jack 26.  Johansson, Sheary, Vesey and Okposo all had 8.

On the PP?  Total weapon.  At ES?  Just kinda ok.

This is fair and others have noted this too.  I am certainly open to someone else taking that spot from VO, although I do think he can excel there.

[dudacek]

1 hour ago, PASabreFan said:

He still hasn't shown RaKru much if anything.

Ralph did an interview with Duff where Duff alluded to the coach having sat down with Skinner to hash things out (my words) and then I don’t think he ever revisited it. Tease.

[Thorner]

I'm not sure what Ralph's feelings are towards Skinner but I've never considered any sort of message he's tried to send to Skinner through usage as anything other than a short term strategy, from the coach's perspective. Ralph would know they HAVE to figure it out. He makes too much money, and has too much in the tank, to willingly up your degree of difficulty by not, eventually, doing everything you can to maximize said player. 

Ralph used whatever tactics he did with Skinner and he'll use them as he sees fit but his goal is assuredly a Skinner who ends up playing a lot so he can get a lot of goals for this organization. 

Edited October 13, 2020 by Thorny

[Taro T]

1 hour ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Why don't people think that Skinner will be playing with Eichel next year?  The Hall McDavid combo didn't work because both players wanted the puck in the offensive zone.  I don't think that is all that different then Hall Eichel.  I believe Skinner will be Jack's LW to start the season and Hall will be on Staal's wing.  

I'm thinking our 1-2 punch will be

Skinner Eichel Reinhart

Hall Staal VO

Where you will see Hall and Jack together is the No. 1 PP.  The addition of Hall gives Jack more of an opportunity to launch the shot from high slot or top of the face off circle.  

Why do you believe Frank Sevigliari (sp?) on the Sabres budget plans but don't believe the GM and HC for the lineup plans?

They've both said/alluded to playing Eichel & Hall together.  The reason to NOT play Skinner w/ Eichel is that Eichel is limited in where he can go in the offensive zone when Skinner is his linemate as Skinner needs to be near the paint to be effective.  This forces Eichel to stay higher in the zone.  Give Jack Hall & Olofsson and watch that line click & see Olofsson score some serious ES goals getting fed by both.

[Taro T]

58 minutes ago, Curt said:

Not to poop on him, because I like him fine, but I think people really overestimate how much of a factor Olofsson was at ES last season.  He wasn’t that impactful.  On the line with Eichel-Reinhart, he scored 9 goals in 54 games.  Girgensons had 11 in 69.  Skinner, 14 in 59.  Reinhart 17, Jack 26.  Johansson, Sheary, Vesey and Okposo all had 8.

On the PP?  Total weapon.  At ES?  Just kinda ok.

True.  But it was essentially his rookie year and he couldn't find the net ES the 1st 15 or so games regardless how good his chances were.  Once he finally got off the schneid there, he was good at ES until his injury.  He then came back to play w/ an injured Eichel and then had a serious slump after hitting 19 goals trying to get that 20 goal bonus.

Don't forget that at the end of periods and right before TV timeouts Skinner took Olofsson's shifts.

 So, basically he was a typical NHL streaky rookie goal scorer.  Yes, he wasn't incredible at ES, but Eichel WAS.  Still would rather optimize Eichel than either Skinner or Olofsson.

[PerreaultForever]

2 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

That may well be the initial plan, but a similar plan failed in Edm with McDavid.  Hall is a driver of offense.  Jack is a driver of offense.  Seems like duplicate effort.  That said if Hall wants to become a feeder for Jack's shot, I'm ok with the that, but I don't think that the best use of these two players. 

One of my critiques directed at Reinhart over the years is he doesn't drive the offense. He (and others) always give the puck to Jack, expect him to do all the heavy lifting, and just head to the open areas. Just imagine how good Jack Eichel can be if other teams can't focus solely on him and work at stopping him and have to worry about another guy driving the play into the offensive zone? This pairing imo, will boost Jack's goal totals tremendously. team's are going to have to play Jack more honestly 1 on 1 and that should create a world of new offensive possibilities. 

More importantly, another playmaker on the PP should lead to big big dividends. 

[gilbert11]

5 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

One of my critiques directed at Reinhart over the years is he doesn't drive the offense. He (and others) always give the puck to Jack, expect him to do all the heavy lifting, and just head to the open areas. Just imagine how good Jack Eichel can be if other teams can't focus solely on him and work at stopping him and have to worry about another guy driving the play into the offensive zone? This pairing imo, will boost Jack's goal totals tremendously. team's are going to have to play Jack more honestly 1 on 1 and that should create a world of new offensive possibilities. 

More importantly, another playmaker on the PP should lead to big big dividends. 

Ah, to have a power play unit again like the mid-70’s with the French Connection and Stanfield and Korab at the points.  That unit not only scored a lot, they did it quickly.   Memories.

[bob_sauve28]

11 hours ago, SDS said:

Nobody thinks he is disappointed? I would be. 

Isn’t he friends with Hall? I bet he’s happy. Let’s hope we have three 30 goal scorers this year 

[GASabresIUFAN]

5 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

One of my critiques directed at Reinhart over the years is he doesn't drive the offense. He (and others) always give the puck to Jack, expect him to do all the heavy lifting, and just head to the open areas. Just imagine how good Jack Eichel can be if other teams can't focus solely on him and work at stopping him and have to worry about another guy driving the play into the offensive zone? This pairing imo, will boost Jack's goal totals tremendously. team's are going to have to play Jack more honestly 1 on 1 and that should create a world of new offensive possibilities. 

More importantly, another playmaker on the PP should lead to big big dividends. 

Just think how good things will be if we have two or even 3 lines that can drive offense.  Then teams can’t just put their best D line out against Jack because the Hall Staal line will kill them.

[BuffalOhio]

Playing on the second line is actually easier due to the defensive match-ups.  Skinner should have a banner year.

[steveoath]

2 hours ago, bob_sauve28 said:

Isn’t he friends with Hall? I bet he’s happy. Let’s hope we have three 30 goal scorers this year 

This place will explode if that happens 😄

[Drag0nDan]

2 hours ago, gilbert11 said:

Ah, to have a power play unit again like the mid-70’s with the French Connection and Stanfield and Korab at the points.  That unit not only scored a lot, they did it quickly.   Memories.

I don't know how they'll set up the first and second PP units, but i think there will be an even greater boost to the 2nd unit.  Not sure who will play where, but I'm relatively hopeful in improvements from the Mitts/MoJo/sheary group to today.  

You have hall+Jack+maybe VO on line 1 PP, line 2 can be skinner+sam+staal/Cozens.  I just want that 2nd group to be able to gain the zone and sustain some pressure.  

I'm interested to see who plays on jacks other wing at even strength, but i think they like VO for those cross ice 1 timers.  

[JohnC]

9 hours ago, dudacek said:

Ralph did an interview with Duff where Duff alluded to the coach having sat down with Skinner to hash things out (my words) and then I don’t think he ever revisited it. Tease.

As you well know Krueger is one of the most congenial and articulate interviewees.  Even during the times of team struggles he continued to maintain his composure and congeniality in probing interviews. The only time I have seen him get agitated and curtly respond was on a WGR segment being asked about adding Skinner to the Jack line. This is an issue that bothers him. I don't believe it is a personal issue with the player as much as it is a style of play of Skinner. Without question it deviates from his demand of playing two way hockey from one end of the rink to the other end of the rink. Skinner's style of play involves some floating and not a lot of tight checking. That is anathema to Krueger's philosophy and system. I'm hoping that the coach and the player can come to an acceptable accommodation. 

I like Krueger as a coach. I just wish that he was a little more flexible allowing Skinner to play to his strength (goal scoring) and have less angst with his looser defensive style of play. Skinner is capable of being a 30-40 goal scorer. We need him to get back to that level.

[Palm Trees And Taxes]

I think Skinner is happy about this move, it takes a little pressure off of him and perhaps Skinner can get back to 30G 60 point form for the next several years. 

Granted he will never live up to that 9M a year contract but at least if he produces like that the contract wont viewed as bad of an albatross as it truly is.

[SDS]

It seems most people's opinions are based upon what they think Jeff Skinner should feel from the perspective of everyone not named Jeff Skinner.

I think Jeff Skinner is horribly disappointed in how the situation played out for himself and his career, regardless of how he may feel about the direction of the team.

[bob_sauve28]

28 minutes ago, SDS said:

It seems most people's opinions are based upon what they think Jeff Skinner should feel from the perspective of everyone not named Jeff Skinner.

I think Jeff Skinner is horribly disappointed in how the situation played out for himself and his career, regardless of how he may feel about the direction of the team.

Why? 

[MakeSabresGrr8Again]

14 minutes ago, SDS said:

It seems most people's opinions are based upon what they think Jeff Skinner should feel from the perspective of everyone not named Jeff Skinner.

I think Jeff Skinner is horribly disappointed in how the situation played out for himself and his career, regardless of how he may feel about the direction of the team.

I think we all (Skinner too) should look at it  as a positive. Skins seems to be a team guy who is harder on himself and wants the team to succeed. With knowing Staal and Hall, I think he'll be just fine.

Winning will solve alot. I also see the possibilities in the flexibility of this line-up to be helpful in many ways in obtaining their goals.

Is there some factual evidence that leads you to believe Skinner is unhappy or is it just your opinion?

[SDS]

3 minutes ago, bob_sauve28 said:

Why? 

Because it’s not unreasonable to think that Jeff Skinner cares about his career and life’s work? That he made a decision to put himself in the best possible position and that ended before it even started? 

[SDS]

10 minutes ago, MakeSabresGrr8Again said:

I think we all (Skinner too) should look at it  as a positive. Skins seems to be a team guy who is harder on himself and wants the team to succeed. With knowing Staal and Hall, I think he'll be just fine.

Winning will solve alot. I also see the possibilities in the flexibility of this line-up to be helpful in many ways in obtaining their goals.

Is there some factual evidence that leads you to believe Skinner is unhappy or is it just your opinion?

Completely my opinion based upon what I would think is accepted understanding of human beings. 

and note I asked what he was thinking, not that he was outwardly unhappy. I refuse to believe that he signed that contract after spending a year with Jack Eichel and not thinking about playing along his side for at least several years. It’s a ridiculous notion to think that wasn’t a major factor in his decision.

and if it was a major factor in his decision, it ended before it started and if I was him I would be utterly disappointed in how it played out.

that doesn’t mean it isn’t best for the team, it’s just that if I’m Jeff Skinner I have probably kicked a few things since signing that contract.

[bob_sauve28]

9 minutes ago, SDS said:

Because it’s not unreasonable to think that Jeff Skinner cares about his career and life’s work? That he made a decision to put himself in the best possible position and that ended before it even started? 

Fine, but adding his friend, and another excellent hockey players is suppose to hurt his career? I'm not following that

 

I'd think he would be happy to get the help