Jeff Skinner - $9M healthy scratch

[Rafafouille]

I don’t understand what Krueger’s trying to achieve.

You know what kind of player Skinner is. You knew it when you signed him, and for a whole decade before that. This is a guy who plays a very specific kind of game and is very effective at it. Trying to change him now is pointless (literally).

You’re in last place. Eichel has 2 goals. Your top goal producers are Olofsson and... Reinhart. You know who scores 30-40 goals per 82 like clockwork? Jeff Skinner.

Not only is his contract a sunk cost, it’s not even hypothetically moveable unless he starts producing.

Here’s a guy who went against the grain to choose Buffalo in large part because he could fill a role next to Eichel. Eichel’s struggling. The team is losing. You need a goal scorer. Your goal scorer is paid so much he needs to break out. He’s too niche of a player to benefit from any kind of change to his pure offensive role.

All possible angles of this point to... putting Skinner and Eichel back together? Nah. Healthy scratch.

31,25,25,38,19,28,38,24,40,19

That's his G per 82 so far in his career. Seems like your clockwork is broken half the time.

Also his 40 goals season is a mirage. He had 20 goals in 27 games by the end of November. 26 by the end of 2018. 14 goals from January to April in 42 games. Pace of 27 goals and 47 points over 82 games. That's why he was taken away from eichel the following season. Because he had been bad for half his 40 goals season and kept going the same way the next season.

 

[jetsforever]

Crazy how quickly this contract has gone from not great to disastrous

 

[MarkusKetterer]

Have they not played together at all?

They started one game together. But now Hall is moved away from Eichel and Olofsson is there instead

 

[CokenoPepsi]

Jeff Skinner had a career year in Buffalo...what happened after?

 

[Jeremy2020]

Jeff Skinner had a career year in Buffalo...what happened after?

What happens to 99% of players who get contracts based on a career year when they're in line for a new contract. They revert to normal.

 

[ForsbergMoDo21]

really sucks. Buffalo was pretty much forced to give him a big deal and they're being punished for it. No sport is as handcuffed by salary caps as much as hockey

Not really. This is right under the O’Reilly trade on the list of unfathomably stupid things Jason Botteril did as a GM. First, the only reason Skinner was traded to Buffalo was because he would only waive his NTC to be close to home in Toronto or Buffalo. This was widely reported as fact.

In free agency, Toronto didn’t have space for him. So it was essentially just Buffalo as an option. Should be incredible leverage for Buffalo. Then they add on an NMC to his deal. Well that together should’ve driven the deal down from his market value of ~$7 million, no? No, they took all that leverage and then overpaid him by several million. It’s almost inconceivable that someone whose professional capacity—for which they are paid a six to seven figure salary—could do something so foolish.

Skinner should use the free time during his healthy scratch to hand deliver another gift to his agent.

 

[Super Hans]

 

[Strexvale]

Here's a good article on why this whole Skinner thing is just absolutely bizarre:

Jeff Skinner's situation with the Sabres is odd for a variety of reasons

 

[Digital Kid]

One day the NHL will figure out that in the next agreement with the NHLPA, contracts should only be guaranteed for the current and following year only. Either that or lower the buyout percentages.

I read that Bobby Orr refused to cash a couple seasons' worth of cheques from the Blackhawks because he felt he couldn't deliver and was injured. Awesome.

This contract and Eriksson's contract (take your pick which one I mean) - signed in good faith that players will be paid, but also signed in good faith that players will earn the money they are being paid.

 

[ReggiesLemons]

really sucks. Buffalo was pretty much forced to give him a big deal and they're being punished for it. No sport is as handcuffed by salary caps as much as hockey

They weren't forced at all. I don't know of anyone who thought signing Skinner to that deal was a good idea.

In terms of not being able to sign big name FA's, they just signed Hall. He was one of the biggest names on the market. They have one of the best C's on the planet entering his prime. Players will want to play with Eichel, even in Buffalo. Handing out crazy contracts is going to make signing people very difficult. I fear if they don't turn things around soon, Jack is going to want out.

 

[Mez]

Ralph Krueger will make sure he never plays good again...terrible coach.

 

[tarheelhockey]

31,25,25,38,19,28,38,24,40,19

That's his G per 82 so far in his career. Seems like your clockwork is broken half the time.

His career goals-per-82 average is 29 and that includes injury-riddled seasons and 65 wasted games since COVID. He’s as reliable a 30-goal scorer as anyone, and has repeatedly shown a 40-goal upside.

Is he going to do that on the 3rd line or from the pressbox, of course not.

Also his 40 goals season is a mirage. He had 20 goals in 27 games by the end of November. 26 by the end of 2018. 14 goals from January to April in 42 games. Pace of 27 goals and 47 points over 82 games. That's why he was taken away from eichel the following season. Because he had been bad for half his 40 goals season and kept going the same way the next season.

That’s how goal scorers work. Guys like Laine and Kessel constantly come in for the same criticism. Signing a player like this to a $9M contract and sticking him in the press box as if that’s going to solve anything is just ridiculously poor asset management.

 

[7even]

That's rough buddy

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

I wonder if this is one of those cases where despite the coach knowing Skinner should be in the top 6 to get going, he refuses to do so because he likes certain guys in there better than if they were on the 3rd line for various reasons.

Oloffson, Reinhart or Hall won't be on the 3rd line.. either they're producing or management want to keep them happy for future extensions.

That leaves 1 winger spot in the top 6, and whoever is there now, does the coach think he would be worse in the bottom 6? And/or if the top line guys want to play together maybe he doesn't like Skinner with the guys on the 2nd line?

Whichever option it is, if the coach really thinks that (which im not saying is right), then in his mind it makes sense to have Skinner on the 3rd line as he's playing decent enough and making the line better even if the production isn't there yet. It's all about the team and rolling multiple effective lines.

Obviously sucks for Jeff, pretty tough to actually get the production part fixed playing with career bottom 6ers.

But yeah.. i also think when you look at the team there's a very clear hierarchy with the players right now. Not saying there's stuff in the room, but the org has a lot of guys they want to keep long-term and or/young guys who have a ton of offensive skill and upside to get better. Not like Jeff Skinner is going anywhere.

 

[Darren McCord]

I wonder if this is one of those cases where despite the coach knowing Skinner should be in the top 6 to get going, he refuses to do so because he likes certain guys in there better than if they were on the 3rd line for various reasons.

Oloffson, Reinhart or Hall won't be on the 3rd line.. either they're producing or management want to keep them happy for future extensions.

That leaves 1 winger spot in the top 6, and whoever is there now, does the coach think he would be worse in the bottom 6? And/or if the top line guys want to play together maybe he doesn't like Skinner with the guys on the 2nd line?

Whichever option it is, if the coach really thinks that (which im not saying is right), then in his mind it makes sense to have Skinner on the 3rd line as he's playing decent enough and making the line better even if the production isn't there yet. It's all about the team and rolling multiple effective lines.

Obviously sucks for Jeff, pretty tough to actually get the production part fixed playing with career bottom 6ers.

But yeah.. i also think when you look at the team there's a very clear hierarchy with the players right now. Not saying there's stuff in the room, but the org has a lot of guys they want to keep long-term and or/young guys who have a ton of offensive skill and upside to get better. Not like Jeff Skinner is going anywhere.

Part of keeping players happy is winning no? If Skinner in the top six leads to winning wouldn't that make those other players happy as well?

Why would they sign in Buffalo if they are a losing team?

 

[Negan4Coach]

Sigh. What a trip down nostalgia lane. Remember all those posts on here that demanded the Canes trade him for a 3rd and a prospect because his concussed self was "one hit away" from being rectally fed through a tube for the rest of his life as if he were in Guantanamo bay and here we are nearly 10 years later and here he is concussion free, playing as if he totally were not...

 

[danpantz]

Has he played with Eichel at all this season?

 

[Swervin81]

I mean, Skinner was never going to be worth that $9M a year, but it's just comically hilarious asset mismanagement to then just blatantly put the guy in positions to fail and then be shocked when he fails. I mean, he scored 40 goals with Eichel. It really isn't that hard. Doesn't Oloffosan play on his off wing mostly, anyways? I don't see how Skinner would still be a bad fit on that line.

 

[Kyndig]

Has he played with Eichel at all this season?

Here and there but it doesn't last long because the team can't score goals so he got sent back to the 4th line. This season is so bizarre. Risto and McCabe were prime #1 whipping boys for a lot of posters and they were both lights out this season..now both are out for the season.

Curtis Lazar has more goals than Skinner, Eichel, Hall, and Okposo combined. Doesn't help that the Sabres have played like 2-4 games less than the everyone else and still have Skinner, Eichel, Reinhart, and Hall all pretty much leading the league in posts hit. Nothing is going the Sabres way this season.

 

[HisIceness]

He got his $$$, so there's that.

 

[MrWigglez]

really sucks. Buffalo was pretty much forced to give him a big deal and they're being punished for it. No sport is as handcuffed by salary caps as much as hockey

And do you believe that removing the salary cap would help the *checks notes* Buffalo Sabers to compete in the league better?

 

[foggyvisor]

One day the NHL will figure out that in the next agreement with the NHLPA, contracts should only be guaranteed for the current and following year only. Either that or lower the buyout percentages.

I read that Bobby Orr refused to cash a couple seasons' worth of cheques from the Blackhawks because he felt he couldn't deliver and was injured. Awesome.

This contract and Eriksson's contract (take your pick which one I mean) - signed in good faith that players will be paid, but also signed in good faith that players will earn the money they are being paid.

As long as guys who overachieve, including those on ELCs, get paid extra on top of their contract amounts, sure.

 

[explore]

I don’t understand what Krueger’s trying to achieve.

You know what kind of player Skinner is. You knew it when you signed him, and for a whole decade before that. This is a guy who plays a very specific kind of game and is very effective at it. Trying to change him now is pointless (literally).

You’re in last place. Eichel has 2 goals. Your top goal producers are Olofsson and... Reinhart. You know who scores 30-40 goals per 82 like clockwork? Jeff Skinner.

Not only is his contract a sunk cost, it’s not even hypothetically moveable unless he starts producing.

Here’s a guy who went against the grain to choose Buffalo in large part because he could fill a role next to Eichel. Eichel’s struggling. The team is losing. You need a goal scorer. Your goal scorer is paid so much he needs to break out. He’s too niche of a player to benefit from any kind of change to his pure offensive role.

All possible angles of this point to... putting Skinner and Eichel back together? Nah. Healthy scratch.

Two corrections:

Skinner wanted to go to Toronto or Buffalo to be closer to his parents, it wasn't about winning.

Krueger wasn't coach when Skinner was acquired, Housely was.

Skinner's play with Eichel when he scored 40 goals is skewed, during the 2018-2019 season (when he scored 40 goals playing with Eichel) he had:

28 goals his first 41 games (including 20 goals in the first 27 games as @Beaudet pointed out)
12 goals his final 41 games (including 3 goals his last two games, with Eichel force feeding him empty netters)

Skinner is really just continuing his cold streak that he started before he even signed his albatross contract

The Pegula's should've known better than to sign him to that ridiculous contract

 

[nbwingsfan]

Weird that some Buffalo fans still insist hes not that overpaid...

 

[tarheelhockey]

Skinner's play with Eichel when he scored 40 goals is skewed, during the 2018-2019 season (when he scored 40 goals playing with Eichel) he had:

28 goals his first 41 games
12 goals his final 41 games (including 3 goals his last two games, with Eichel force feeding him empty netters)

That’s not “skewed”, it’s a 40 goal season. Goals scored at the beginning and end of the season count the same. And so do wins.

Notably, the Sabres were 22-13-6 through their first 41 games of 2018-19. Since then, they’re 46-62-18. I’m no math whiz, but I’d be more interested in replicating those 41 games than anything that came after it.

Skinner is really just continuing his cold streak that he started before he even signed his albatross contract

Which is why it’s absolutely bizarre to bury the guy and ensure that the cold streak continues.

What is the goal here? To win hockey games, or to punish Jeff Skinner for accepting a contract?