Jeff Skinner: 1000 games 0 playoffs

[BFLO]

Again though, Skinner’s career doesn’t actually read that way.

He was drafted during a youth movement phase for Carolina, a team that perpetually finished outside the bubble because their high-end draft picks (other than Skinner) and FA signings were all disappointments.

When that team got a wealthy new owner and blew up its roster to forge a new identity, he forced a trade to a Buffalo team which was in a youth movement and had recently added two #1OAs plus a bunch of other talent under a wealthy owner. He signed a huge long-term contract which made him an un-moveable part of the core for that up and coming team. But it turned out the Sabres were another Carolina, forever spinning their wheels due to a failure to acquire/keep top talent.

It’s just a perfect storm of landing in two incompetent organizations back-to-back, and getting paid at a level which prevents him getting to move around the league. For his individual part in that picture, Skinner has never been a guy who looked content about losing.

At the time Skinner was traded to Buffalo, Buffalo had one #1OA and 2 #2 OAs. Power wasn't drafted until 3 years later.

Skinner has never struck me as a guy who cares about winning. Who else besides someone who doesn't care about winning would force a trade to the team that had just finished last place in the previous season? The team that had now finished last 3 times in the past 5 seasons?

The only thing Skinner cares about is earning $72 million while getting to live 120miles from where he grew up.

He puts zero effort into playing any kind of defense or playing to a coaches system. He's the antithesis of playing winning hockey or playoff style hockey.

 

[tarheelhockey]

At the time Skinner was traded to Buffalo, Buffalo had one #1OA and 2 #2 OAs. Power wasn't drafted until 3 years later.

Skinner has never struck me as a guy who cares about winning. Who else besides someone who doesn't care about winning would force a trade to the team that had just finished last place in the previous season? The team that had now finished last 3 times in the past 5 seasons?

You answered that question in your first sentence. Nobody would have thought Buffalo would look like this 5 years later.

Skinner wanted to play near his family, and went to a team that by all rights should have been breaking into Cup contention by now. The guy they were built around just played a key role in a Cup win, just for a different team.

Skinner’s no worse at team play than famously lazy uncommitted no-defense loser, and three time Stanley Cup champion, Phil Kessel.

 

[serp]

At the time Skinner was traded to Buffalo, Buffalo had one #1OA and 2 #2 OAs. Power wasn't drafted until 3 years later.

Skinner has never struck me as a guy who cares about winning. Who else besides someone who doesn't care about winning would force a trade to the team that had just finished last place in the previous season? The team that had now finished last 3 times in the past 5 seasons?

The only thing Skinner cares about is earning $72 million while getting to live 120miles from where he grew up.

He puts zero effort into playing any kind of defense or playing to a coaches system. He's the antithesis of playing winning hockey or playoff style hockey.

Tbf Skinner hasn't played for a good coach since his rookie season. After Maurice got fired Canes coaching sucked until they hired Brind'Amour ( who was hired after the Canes moved Skinner ) and Sabres coaching has been a complete tirefire since they fired Lindy more than 10 years ago. That has to have contributed to Skinner developing some terrible on-ice habbits.

 

[Bedards Dad]

Only knew about the regular baseball grip sorry boys

View attachment 844491

As a Leafs fan I have plenty of experience with golf grips.

Baseball grip is for hacks, generally. No offense. Interlock isn’t much better. But whatever works I guess.

I'm a 5 cap (not a brag. Just reference point) with a baseball grip...I tried to go to interlock and couldn't get comfortable. I do jam my hands together, since the important think is to have your hand as close to a single pivot point and not seperate during motion. Hacks are people who think there is one grip or one swing that works...I mean Tiger uses an interlock.

 

[Beerz]

 

[powerbomb]

Definitely deserving of a styrofoam statue, but not sure where it should be displayed…

 

[LuGBuG]

He’s certainly not a bad hockey player. Gets extra criticism because of his contract. Let’s be honest though say he signed for half the cap hit….. is he making the playoffs giving Buffalo an extra 4.5 million of cap room any of those years? I’m guessing no.

 

[LuGBuG]

As a Leafs fan I have plenty of experience with golf grips.



I'm a 5 cap (not a brag. Just reference point) with a baseball grip...I tried to go to interlock and couldn't get comfortable. I do jam my hands together, since the important think is to have your hand as close to a single pivot point and not seperate during motion. Hacks are people who think there is one grip or one swing that works...I mean Tiger uses an interlock.

Agreed. Anyone with a brain knows people with weird grips or crap looking swings that can be a stick. Someone is trying to hard here to seem good I think. YouTube pro.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

I wish their PP, game starts, line changes, and defensive strategy were as good as their comedy writing. This is hilarious, just wish the corresponding play on the ice weren’t as much of a joke.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Ron Hansey played almost 1000 games ( 988 ) before playing his first playoff games and then in his first playoff run he won a Cup with the Pens. Pretty sure Olli Jokinen also played almost that much without playoffs. Jokinen only made the playoffs once in his career and it ended in just 6 games .

This reminds me of this legendary clip from that 2017 cup run:

 

[GordonGraham]

Good for him, never had to play for free.

 

[3074326]

This reminds me of this legendary clip from that 2017 cup run:

The good ol days

 

[StreetHawk]

He’s certainly not a bad hockey player. Gets extra criticism because of his contract. Let’s be honest though say he signed for half the cap hit….. is he making the playoffs giving Buffalo an extra 4.5 million of cap room any of those years? I’m guessing no.

Reality of a cap league. Be it NHL, NFL. Higher your cap the more that is expected of you.

 

[Tob]

highest paycheck/60 in league history.

 

[93LEAFS]

Even if someone would accept the dollars, he has a full NMC and only came to Buffalo because it is close to Toronto. He wouldn't allow a trade. He doesn't care about winning.

I could see accepting a trade to Toronto under the same logic. Possibly also Detroit, Ottawa and maybe Montreal. But, again, none of those teams are trading for him at his current cap-hit.

I don't really get it though, it's not like Toronto is particularly isolated. It's an hour or so flight from a ton of other major cities (Boston, NYC, Philly, DC, Chicago). Buffalo is by far the closest but Detroit and Ottawa are reasonable drives if you don't get trapped in horrific traffic getting out of the city (although QEW is also horrific at times).

 

[SI90]

This is insane.

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

When you skate like a ballerina in a mens league... that is to be expected

 

[statswatcher]

When you skate like a ballerina in a mens league... that is to be expected

ballerinas do not skate

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

ballerinas do not skate

Exactly

 

[statswatcher]

Exactly

no, i'm pretty sure i've seen him skate once or twice. i think you're confused.

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

no, i'm pretty sure i've seen him skate once or twice. i think you're confused.

My point is dude is soft as butter.

 

[statswatcher]

My point is dude is soft as butter.

you should have said so. metaphor doesn't seem to be your strong suit.

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

you should have said so. metaphor doesn't seem to be your strong suit.

you should have said so. metaphor doesn't seem to be your strong suit.

Would you have been happier if I had said like a figure skater? Which is actually just being a ballerina on ice?

 

[statswatcher]

Would you have been happier if I had said like a figure skater? Which is actually just being a ballerina on ice?

yes that was actually my first thought.

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

yes that was actually my first thought.

Well this has been an intriguing convo at 3 am