Jeff Skinner rumors, trade and buyout speculation swirling

[JoeSchmoe]

Am I the only one that thinks losing him will actually hurt us? (In the short term anyways. That contract will definitely bite us in the ass eventually).

Say what you want about his defence, but he has the 3rd best 5 on 5 goal % on the team behind only Peterka and Thompson.

Combine that with no Mittelstadt next year and I see us in a world of hurt offensively... Especially after how lackluster things were this year.

[Thorner]

4 minutes ago, JoeSchmoe said:

Am I the only one that thinks losing him will actually hurt us? (In the short term anyways. That contract will definitely bite us in the ass eventually).

Say what you want about his defence, but he has the 3rd best 5 on 5 goal % on the team behind only Peterka and Thompson.

Combine that with no Mittelstadt next year and I see us in a world of hurt offensively... Especially after how lackluster things were this year.

I’ve said it 

Hell I tweeted it 

[Archie Lee]

16 minutes ago, JoeSchmoe said:

Am I the only one that thinks losing him will actually hurt us? (In the short term anyways. That contract will definitely bite us in the ass eventually).

Say what you want about his defence, but he has the 3rd best 5 on 5 goal % on the team behind only Peterka and Thompson.

Combine that with no Mittelstadt next year and I see us in a world of hurt offensively... Especially after how lackluster things were this year.

It all depends on what they do with the roster. Make the right moves and a buyout can make us a better team. 

[Broken Ankles]

11 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

I don't think we would need to add anything at all to get a team to take 50pt Jeff Skinner at 4.5mil for 3years. If he didn't have a NMC, I bet that trade could be made tomorrow without us including "a substantial asset" or any asset other than Jeff and the retention. 

Agree the NMC is problematic.  Let’s assume the retention is $3m with a small sweetener.  The benefit of the receiving team is also a low actual salary in year 2025 & 2026.  I believe he is due only $7m in 25 and $5m in ‘26.  Which would translate to $4m & $2M respectively with retention. Accepting a $6m cap hit while paying $2m in salary seems plausible. 

[PerreaultForever]

3 hours ago, JoeSchmoe said:

Am I the only one that thinks losing him will actually hurt us? (In the short term anyways. That contract will definitely bite us in the ass eventually).

Say what you want about his defence, but he has the 3rd best 5 on 5 goal % on the team behind only Peterka and Thompson.

Combine that with no Mittelstadt next year and I see us in a world of hurt offensively... Especially after how lackluster things were this year.

You just don't get it. Carolina got a LOT better once they ditched him. We will too. We are at a change moment. EVERYTHING is going to change. I'm starting to feel it and it's making me happy. 

[Wyldnwoody44]

But but but... Who will do between 2 stalls?!? 

 

Gotta admit, those are some of the best things this team has put out 

[SouthernSabre]

17 hours ago, Flashsabre said:

The reason you do it now is if they think he is a cancer and his presence in the locker room and on the ice will hinder the message and type of game that Lindy wants to play. It would open up $7 million next season and maybe they have a big one year deal set up for someone they feel will help the team win more.

Are they saying Skinner is a cancer or bad locker room guy?  I have not heard that before.

[LGR4GM]

30 minutes ago, SouthernSabre said:

Are they saying Skinner is a cancer or bad locker room guy?  I have not heard that before.

He's not. He's just bad defensively.

[Archie Lee]

4 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

You just don't get it. Carolina got a LOT better once they ditched him. We will too. We are at a change moment. EVERYTHING is going to change. I'm starting to feel it and it's making me happy. 

I’m all on board for a buyout. I still don’t think it happens, but I am 100%. But I don’t buy the Carolina got better because they dumped Skinner thing. Skinner was a year from UFA and Carolina’s options for a move were limited due to his NMC. They got what they could for him before losing him for nothing. I’m not saying he is a fit with a Brind’Amour team (he isn’t), but if I was going to weight the impact of Brind’Amour becoming head coach and Skinner’s departure on Carolina’s ascension, it would be 100% on Brind’Amour becoming coach. 

[JohnC]

19 hours ago, Flashsabre said:

The reason you do it now is if they think he is a cancer and his presence in the locker room and on the ice will hinder the message and type of game that Lindy wants to play. It would open up $7 million next season and maybe they have a big one year deal set up for someone they feel will help the team win more.

Why do you think he is a cancer in the locker room? It's the opposite. He is one of the more popular and engaging personalities on the team. If you want to criticize his play, that's fair game. However, speculating that he is a bad dude behind closed doors when there is not a scintilla of evidence of any disruptive behavior is patently unfair. 

For what it is worth, I have a minority view on Skinner. There is no question that his more freewheeling style of play can be problematic. But his biggest asset as a goal scorer can still be utilized. At least for this upcoming season, I would keep him. 

[Doohicksie]

8 hours ago, Archie Lee said:

It all depends on what they do with the roster. Make the right moves and a buyout can make us a better team. 

In a vacuum I think buying out Skinner makes the Sabres worse.  Just like trading Mitts made the team worse.

If Kevyn made the complementary moves everyone on this forum thinks they need, then yes it could make the team better, but simply removing Skinner from the roster will not make the Sabres better without him.  Just like they were not better with Byram instead of Mitts.

When he traded Reino you could see the return and it is apparent Kevyn sees Levi as the goalie of the future.  When he traded Eichel he got Tuch (who has proven to be a team leader) plus another roster player (Krebs) plus 2022 first-round pick (Noah Östlund) and 2023 second-round pick (Riley Heidt- who?) 

When he traded Mitts he got Byram back in a one-for-one.  Maybe Byram will prove me wrong, but I just didn't see the need to bring in yet another young Dman and I don't think he fills an obviously need while losing Mitts created a big hole.

When you look at what Adams gave up versus what he got back in the Eichel and Reino trades, you could see the value proposition and how it benefited the Sabres.  Also, those trades where transformational in terms of changing the direction of team and the way the roster is constructed.  Trading Mitts created a hole that still needs to be filled, and losing Skinner would create yet another hole on offense, at a time when "transformation" should be done and the team should be competitive. 

[JoeSchmoe]

5 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

You just don't get it. Carolina got a LOT better once they ditched him. We will too. We are at a change moment. EVERYTHING is going to change. I'm starting to feel it and it's making me happy. 

[Weave]

9 hours ago, JoeSchmoe said:

Am I the only one that thinks losing him will actually hurt us? (In the short term anyways. That contract will definitely bite us in the ass eventually).

Say what you want about his defence, but he has the 3rd best 5 on 5 goal % on the team behind only Peterka and Thompson.

Combine that with no Mittelstadt next year and I see us in a world of hurt offensively... Especially after how lackluster things were this year.

If they don’t bring in a replacement for the offense he generates, yeah it could be a real problem.

[oddoublee]

2 hours ago, SouthernSabre said:

Are they saying Skinner is a cancer or bad locker room guy?  I have not heard that before.

He seems well liked in the locker room - and is very likeable with the fans as well. Some people (myself included) think he may be a bad influence on the ice with a young team. He often gets caught out of his zone defensively...drifting a bit to get a jumpstart on offense. The thought is he may influence the young lot into thinking they can do the same, even though they do not have his same skills offensively. 

And...he is pretty poor on defense. 

This will not be a simple addition by subtraction move if they do buy him out... they do have to replace 'some' of his offense - and not just replace him with a JAG. It is not an easy move to make. 

[Flashsabre]

Thanks to the guy on Reddit Sabres who typed this out.

Here is Friedman on his podcast: 

“

On Tuesday on the radio show, you and I discussed the possibility of a Jeff Skinner buyout with the Buffalo Sabres. Do you care to expand?

So this is something that has been floating around hockey circles for probably, at least it reached my ears about three or four days ago. And the tough thing is that the Sabres aren't saying anything.

He's represented by Don Meehan.

Don Meehan is keeping quiet about it. And what someone else said to me was that you have to be careful because the buyout window doesn't begin until 48 hours after the Stanley Cup is awarded.

So things can always change.

But I do think it was going to get out. It was something that more and more people were talking about. Now, someone said to me, why don't the Sabres ask him to wave his no move clause? And the thing is that if you're Jeff Skinner in this situation and you know the Sabres may want to move on from you, A, you want to control things. That's what you want to do. You want to be in control of the situation.

So it's probably better for you unless you're absolutely convinced that Buffalo can trade you to a place you want to go. It's probably better for you to say no, just buy me out and let me go to a place that I want to go. And secondly, his contract is $9 million.

If we go to a situation where he's an unrestricted free agent, he can take his buyout, which is two-thirds of $22 million over six years, and he can pick it at whatever salary he wants. Skinner has much more control over the situation as an unrestricted free agent getting to pick his destination at his salary. So I think that's why Buffalo is kind of in this position.

The other interesting thing about it, there's a couple. Number one, for next year, his cap hit would be under $1.5 million using Capitals Friendly, and so it would give Buffalo an extra $7.5 million of cap room. And next year is a huge year for the Sabres.

The other thing that kind of interested me about it too is that they're looking for, they're believed to be looking for a couple forwards. One, one of those edgier depth pieces that we've been talking about, but also a top six forward if they could. And you know Skinner, he had 24 goals last year.

He scored 40 before, he scored 30 before. I know the big knock on him is, you know, he's played over a thousand games, he's never made the playoffs, but he can score. So it's a really, really interesting move by the Sabres that will give them a ton of flexibility for next year should it happen.

But, you know, I always try to be careful with what I say unless I 100% know. So I can't say 100% it's going to happen, but it's definitely out there. And I think we're just waiting to see if Buffalo makes a final decision.”

[Flashsabre]

2 hours ago, SouthernSabre said:

Are they saying Skinner is a cancer or bad locker room guy?  I have not heard that before.

I said “IF” they think he is a cancer. 
 

I don’t think it is a case of he is a bad guy or not well liked. I think they don’t think he will commit defensively to the style of play Ruff will demand and if one of your vets isn’t doing it, it will trickle down to the younger players.

He is also 32 and declining offensively.

So $9.5 million a year for a declining scorer who won’t buy in defensively is a big problem for a team trying to get over the hump after 13 years of no playoffs.

Im seeing some people saying “just retain $3 million and trade him”

They could retain 50% and it won’t matter because Skinner has the final say in whether he waives or not.

I think these are the reasons the Sabres are contemplating  just buying him out. Rip the band aid off, use the money on pieces that fit exactly what Ruff is looking for.

[WhenWillItEnd66]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

He's not. He's just bad defensively.

you can take his salary and find 2-3 people that will give you overall better production and defense as well! 

[LGR4GM]

19 minutes ago, Flashsabre said:

I said “IF” they think he is a cancer. 
 

I don’t think it is a case of he is a bad guy or not well liked. I think they don’t think he will commit defensively to the style of play Ruff will demand and if one of your vets isn’t doing it, it will trickle down to the younger players.

He is also 32 and declining offensively.

So $9.5 million a year for a declining scorer who won’t buy in defensively is a big problem for a team trying to get over the hump after 13 years of no playoffs.

Im seeing some people saying “just retain $3 million and trade him”

They could retain 50% and it won’t matter because Skinner has the final say in whether he waives or not.

I think these are the reasons the Sabres are contemplating  just buying him out. Rip the band aid off, use the money on pieces that fit exactly what Ruff is looking for.

Not when you start benching or trading guys it won't. This also assumes a player like Quinn would follow Skinner down that road which I think unlikely. 

[Archie Lee]

1 hour ago, Doohickie said:

In a vacuum I think buying out Skinner makes the Sabres worse.  Just like trading Mitts made the team worse.

If Kevyn made the complementary moves everyone on this forum thinks they need, then yes it could make the team better, but simply removing Skinner from the roster will not make the Sabres better without him.  Just like they were not better with Byram instead of Mitts.

When he traded Reino you could see the return and it is apparent Kevyn sees Levi as the goalie of the future.  When he traded Eichel he got Tuch (who has proven to be a team leader) plus another roster player (Krebs) plus 2022 first-round pick (Noah Östlund) and 2023 second-round pick (Riley Heidt- who?) 

When he traded Mitts he got Byram back in a one-for-one.  Maybe Byram will prove me wrong, but I just didn't see the need to bring in yet another young Dman and I don't think he fills an obviously need while losing Mitts created a big hole.

When you look at what Adams gave up versus what he got back in the Eichel and Reino trades, you could see the value proposition and how it benefited the Sabres.  Also, those trades where transformational in terms of changing the direction of team and the way the roster is constructed.  Trading Mitts created a hole that still needs to be filled, and losing Skinner would create yet another hole on offense, at a time when "transformation" should be done and the team should be competitive. 

If the Sabres buyout Skinner and don’t utilize the cap space saved to remake the roster, then it will reinforce my current view that we don’t operate like a typical NHL team that has the primary goal of winning. My preference for a buyout is directly linked to the opportunity that exists for a major roster overhaul; the sort of overhaul where when it is done nobody would say: “what this team could really use is a one-dimensional goal scorer who makes 30-60% more than he is worth (depending on his year to year production levels)”. As with everything, we’ll see. 

[kas23]

20 hours ago, DarthEbriate said:

So we're on the same page, here is the reasoning for buying out this summer or next. You save cash no matter what, but there's less percentage of the cap available (even if its rising) in that final 2026-27 season of the contract, right when they might be looking to re-sign Tuch, while all the youngsters are already on their next contract. Thanks, Capfriendly!

Buy out this summer:
SEASON    INITIAL CAP HIT    SAVINGS    CAP HIT (BUF)
2024-25    $9,000,000    $7,555,555    $1,444,445
2025-26    $9,000,000    $4,555,555    $4,444,445
2026-27    $9,000,000    $2,555,555    $6,444,445
2027-28    $0                  -$2,444,445    $2,444,445
2028-29    $0                  -$2,444,445    $2,444,445
2029-30    $0                  -$2,444,445    $2,444,445

Buy out next summer:
SEASON    INITIAL CAP HIT    SAVINGS    CAP HIT (BUF)
2025-26    $9,000,000    $5,000,000    $4,000,000
2026-27    $9,000,000    $3,000,000    $6,000,000
2027-28    $0                  -$2,000,000    $2,000,000
2028-29    $0                  -$2,000,000    $2,000,000

From <https://www.capfriendly.com/buyout-calculator/jeff-skinner> 

The biggest difference here is the extra cap hit of $2.4M in 29-30. The rest is the cost of doing business. An extra $0.44M each year. Not a backbreaker, especially considering Kevyn is up against the wall in terms of winning now. An accountant would say wait a year, a GM/coach that needs to win now would say move on now. 

[inkman]

2 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

He's not. He's just bad defensively.

He’s also pretty terrible at just about everything not including finishing plays.  He can score, when given the puck within 15 feet of the net.  Everything else, especially when he touches the puck, is negative.  I don’t really ever need to see him on the PP again.  Constantly passing the puck into terrible areas.  

15 minutes ago, Archie Lee said:

If the Sabres buyout Skinner and don’t utilize the cap space saved to remake the roster, then it will reinforce my current view that we don’t operate like a typical NHL team that has the primary goal of winning. My preference for a buyout is directly linked to the opportunity that exists for a major roster overhaul; the sort of overhaul where when it is done nobody would say: “what this team could really use is a one-dimensional goal scorer who makes 30-60% more than he is worth (depending on his year to year production levels)”. As with everything, we’ll see. 

Is $7 mill enough to “remake the roster”?  That’s maybe 1-2 good players.  

[Archie Lee]

4 minutes ago, inkman said:

He’s also pretty terrible at just about everything not including finishing plays.  He can score, when given the puck within 15 feet of the net.  Everything else, especially when he touches the puck, is negative.  I don’t really ever need to see him on the PP again.  Constantly passing the puck into terrible areas.  

Is $7 mill enough to “remake the roster”?  That’s maybe 1-2 good players.  

Added to the one or two good players we can add with the cap space available before a buyout?  Absolutely it is enough for a major overhaul (top 6 forward, 2-3 bottom 6 forwards, top 4 D and even a b/u goalie if you want to go crazy). 

[Buffalonill]

I have nothing against skinner but we need a change and this is the right move

 

Edited June 19 by Buffalonill

[dudacek]

Sabrespace: We need to get bigger and better defensively. Also Sabrespace: not Greenway!

Sabrespace: We need to add a top 4 defenceman. Also Sabrespace: not Byram!

Sabrespace: We need to trade one of the young guys to shake up the core. Also Sabrespace: not Mittelstadt!

Sabrespace: We need to be more accountable and start playing the right way. Also Sabrespace: not Skinner!

There is no such thing as a hive mind around here. 😄

Edited June 19 by dudacek

[Doohicksie]

1 hour ago, Flashsabre said:

So this is something that has been floating around hockey circles for probably, at least it reached my ears about three or four days ago. And the tough thing is that the Sabres aren't saying anything.

He's represented by Don Meehan.

Don Meehan is keeping quiet about it.

So basically both parties haven't said anything indicating that he will be bought out.  Unless Kevyn is purposely leaking information or there is a mole in the Sabres org, any talk of a Skinner buyout is straight up speculation.