Skinner stays with Sabres on Eight-year, $72M deal
Greg WyshynskiESPN
Jeff Skinner, who would have been one of the vital coveted free-agent wingers this summer season, is formally off the market after signing an eight-year, $72 million contract extension with the Buffalo Sabres on Friday.
Skinner, 27, had a career-high 40 objectives in his first season in Buffalo, which acquired him final summer season from the Carolina Hurricanes for Cliff Pu, plus Buffalo’s second-round decide on this 12 months’s draft and a third- and sixth-rounder in 2020. He waived his commerce safety to come back to the Sabres.
Skinner opted to not signal an extension throughout the season, resulting in some hypothesis the Sabres would probably transfer him on the commerce deadline. However whereas Skinner was ready to maximise his incomes potential in a profession 12 months, Buffalo basic supervisor Jason Botterill was assured the workforce and the participant may get a deal completed.
“Each side need to get a deal. I believe it has been an excellent relationship, and we have continued the dialogue going. I perceive folks need a deal completed as of yesterday,” Botterill stated Wednesday at a information convention introducing new head coach Ralph Krueger. “We would like him to be part of our group shifting ahead right here.”
Skinner scored 40 objectives and added 23 assists in 82 video games for Buffalo, enjoying a lot of the season with star middle Jack Eichel, who posted profession highs in objectives (28) and factors (82). However Skinner’s manufacturing dropped dramatically within the last two months of the season with the Sabres out of competition, as he scored simply 4 objectives and had two assists in his last 19 video games.
Clearly, that did not give the workforce pause. Skinner’s $9 million common annual contract worth makes him the third-highest-paid left wing in opposition to the wage cap, behind solely Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals ($9,538,462) and Jamie Benn of the Dallas Stars ($9,500,000). Skinner has the second-highest cap hit on the Sabres behind Eichel, who makes $10 million in opposition to the cap.
As a result of they have been the workforce he performed for final season, the Sabres have been the one ones who may give Skinner an eight-year contract.
Skinner has 244 objectives and 198 assists in 661 video games, nearly all of them with the Hurricanes. He gained the Calder Trophy as rookie of the 12 months in 2011. He has but to seem in a postseason recreation in his NHL profession; the Sabres have not appeared within the playoffs since 2011.