What do you expect from: #53 Jeff Skinner?

[dudacek]

Jeff Skinner jumped immediately into the NHL after being the 7th overall pick in the 2010 NHL entry draft, scoring 31 goals and winning the Calder trophy as rookie of the year.

He either paced, or scored outright, a minimum of 24 goals in 7 of his 8 Carolina seasons, and has topped 30 goals four times in his career. Even after his recent struggles , he still sits at 5th overall in the entire league in even strength goals over the past decade.

https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=116085

Over the past two seasons however, that ranking dips to 103rd as Skinner lost his spot on the first line under coach Ralph Krueger, then was dropped to the 4th line and even sat in the press box for a few games.

Like many of his teammates, he got a stats bump after Krueger was fired. However, that still only amounted to 4 goals and 9 points over his final 26 games.

His struggles scoring actually date back to midway through his 40-goal Buffalo debut season. He's on a current run of 31 goals in his past 151 games.

What do you expect from Skinner this season?

[Pimlach]

I picked the 3rd one,  I expect more but I don't see it coming.   I just think he has played his best hockey years ago, he has no one to feed him and he cannot create on his own.  10 to 12 goals if he stay out of Granato's doghouse.  

[bob_sauve28]

16 goals and a couple of assists.

[Digger]

I don't really know what to expect from him.  That's the problem.  I don't understand what happened with him.  I think that part of his problem might be in his head (not saying that to be a jerk).  You have to be able to believe you are going to score and that if you work hard the puck will find you.  I think his confidence was really shot last year.  Can Granato get him going again?  I hope so.  I still wonder who is the best center for him to play with.  I don't remember much chemistry with Mittelstadt in the past, Cozens? R2?.  20+ goals, 40 points should be expected as a minimum.

[Weave]

Biggest enigma on the roster.  We have to now why his scoring fell off a liff before we an predit if it will come back.

My best guess is it will partly come back with increased usage in prime scoring situations.

[Buffano DeBoom]

Buyout

[PerreaultForever]

Granato slowly moving him down the roster and eventually benching him and Skinner saying something akin to "I'm a pretty good hockey player" at some point. 

[SHAAAUGHT!!!]

20 hours ago, Digger said:

I don't really know what to expect from him.  That's the problem.  I don't understand what happened with him.  I think that part of his problem might be in his head (not saying that to be a jerk).  You have to be able to believe you are going to score and that if you work hard the puck will find you.  I think his confidence was really shot last year.  Can Granato get him going again?  I hope so.  I still wonder who is the best center for him to play with.  I don't remember much chemistry with Mittelstadt in the past, Cozens? R2?.  20+ goals, 40 points should be expected as a minimum.

I think you gotta let Skinner be Skinner.  He's at his best when he is flying down the ice with the puck on his stick, circling around the net looking for a shot or a swat, and getting on the other teams nerves.  So I'm looking to draw up plays that get him the first pass out of the d-zone, and put him on a line with a playmaker and someone with speed and finish that he can look to pass to on the rush.  He also needs someone big enough to scare the other team from taking liberties with him.  This is why I really thought the Skinner-Cozens-VO line was going to click.

Edited October 4, 2021 by SHAAAUGHT!!!

[GASabresIUFAN]

18 goals and 13 assists

[Buffalonill]

I have zero clue why every time we sign a Winger they suck ass .

-Moulson

-Okposo

Now skinner 

[mjd1001]

As most other people have said he's good enough to give you more and he has in the past, but we have gone too long without seeing it. It's been a year and a half and likely to be more since he was an actual dangerous offensive threat. That's not a slump, that's a trend.

[Sabres Fan in NS]

What in the blazes is going on in here?

Skinner will be finer than fine.  

I voted option #1.  He will have a great year ... 35 goals.

 

[dudacek]

I know I've been in the minority around here, but I think Skinner has been ineffective for a long time now.

He didn't produce away from Eichel; he didn't even really produce his last few stints with Eichel. And he's not getting anyone remotely like Eichel to play with now.

I just haven't seen any signs of him turning this around. Hope I'm wrong, but I think he will continue to be a non-factor.

[darksabre]

20 minutes ago, dudacek said:

I know I've been in the minority around here, but I think Skinner has been ineffective for a long time now.

He didn't produce away from Eichel; he didn't even really produce his last few stints with Eichel. And he's not getting anyone remotely like Eichel to play with now.

I just haven't seen any signs of him turning this around. Hope I'm wrong, but I think he will continue to be a non-factor.

I'm with you. I think he's toast. He should have bounced back last year if it was going to happen at all. I think that ankle injury ruined him.

[Mustache of God]

The real question should be "How many more seasons until Skinners contract is bought out?" - this thing is going to look like Okposo on steroids in a few years. 

[darksabre]

11 minutes ago, Mustache of God said:

The real question should be "How many more seasons until Skinners contract is bought out?" - this thing is going to look like Okposo on steroids in a few years. 

It'll screw their cap hit up in 2026-27 but I don't know if they can afford to keep him around for 5 more seasons after this one.

[Taro T]

29 minutes ago, darksabre said:

I'm with you. I think he's toast. He should have bounced back last year if it was going to happen at all. I think that ankle injury ruined him.

That leg injury (ankle, knee, both, whatever) that happened at the meet up definitely is still bothering him.  Whether it's the injury or the mentality of it, don't know.  But except for that 1st October after the injury, he's never been close to the player he was.

Will never hope for a Sabre to get injured, but BF-LTIR is the only thing that'll ever save them from that contract.  Bad for us, good for the team, that $9MM doesn't affect their ability to ice a team for at least 3 more seasons including this one.

Don't know where to play him as he doesn't seem to mesh with Mittelstadt.  Maybe put him on Cozens line and leave Mitts Olofsson & Asplund.

Expecting 12-14 goals from Skinner & about 10 assists.  If they find someone he can click with he could get to 22-24, but wouldn't even bet a $ on that.

[nfreeman]

1 hour ago, Taro T said:

That leg injury (ankle, knee, both, whatever) that happened at the meet up definitely is still bothering him.  Whether it's the injury or the mentality of it, don't know.  But except for that 1st October after the injury, he's never been close to the player he was.

Will never hope for a Sabre to get injured, but BF-LTIR is the only thing that'll ever save them from that contract.  Bad for us, good for the team, that $9MM doesn't affect their ability to ice a team for at least 3 more seasons including this one.

Don't know where to play him as he doesn't seem to mesh with Mittelstadt.  Maybe put him on Cozens line and leave Mitts Olofsson & Asplund.

Expecting 12-14 goals from Skinner & about 10 assists.  If they find someone he can click with he could get to 22-24, but wouldn't even bet a $ on that.

 

Someone kneecapped him at the meetup?  @Eleven is volatile, but still.

I thought Skinner created a lot of chances last year, but simply couldn't finish.  I think he's lost his confidence.

Granato might be the guy who can help Skinner get his mojo back, or Skinner might be too far gone, or he might be an odd enough bird as to be unreachable.

I give it about a 25% chance.

[Taro T]

47 minutes ago, nfreeman said:

 

Someone kneecapped him at the meetup?  @Eleven is volatile, but still.

I thought Skinner created a lot of chances last year, but simply couldn't finish.  I think he's lost his confidence.

Granato might be the guy who can help Skinner get his mojo back, or Skinner might be too far gone, or he might be an odd enough bird as to be unreachable.

I give it about a 25% chance.

It definitely could be the bolded.  Maybe a combination of that & just not having the same agikity he used to have.

Or, maybe it was a 2-1/2 year healing process rather than the more typical 18 month cycle.

Either way, he'll never live up to the deal, but if he could even be a $4MM player, that would help.  (Though it wouldn't help Adams unspoken, apparent goal of having close to, if not, the best odds of landing Wright.)