Jeff Skinner’s tenure with the Buffalo Sabres has come to an end. General Manager Kevyn Adams announced on Saturday that the team will buy out the veteran winger’s contract. Skinner had three years remaining on an eight-year deal he signed in 2019, which saw him earning $9 million annually.
The buyout will result in the Sabres having dead cap space for six seasons. According to CapFriendly, the buyout will cost the Sabres $1.44 million in cap space for the 2024-25 season. This figure will rise to $4.44 million in 2025-26 and peak at $6.44 million in 2026-27. For the final three seasons, the cost will be $2.44 million annually, coming off the books after the 2029-30 season.
With this move, the Sabres head into free agency with $31.743 million in available cap space. The decision to buy out Skinner is part of the Sabres’ broader strategy to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2010-11 season, when they lost in the first round to the Philadelphia Flyers.
The Sabres initially signed Skinner to the eight-year deal with the hope that he could help them return to the postseason. Skinner, a six-time 20-goal scorer with three 30-goal seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes, was expected to be a consistent goal-scoring threat for Buffalo. In the first year of his deal, he lived up to those expectations, scoring a career-high 40 goals and tying his previous career high of 63 points in 82 games.
However, the following seasons were challenging for Skinner. He managed just 21 goals and 35 points over 112 games between the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons. He bounced back in the 2021-22 season, scoring 30 goals and 63 points, and followed that with 35 goals and a career-high 82 points in 79 games during the 2022-23 season.
Despite these strong performances, the 32-year-old finished the 2023-24 season with 24 goals and 46 points, marking his third-fewest goals in a season where he played more than 64 games. His 46 points were the second fewest in a season where he played more than 64 games.
Although the Sabres have decided to buy out Skinner, his ability to score at a lower cost could make him an attractive option for Stanley Cup contenders in need of scoring depth. Skinner, who averaged 15:59 of ice time per game last season, including 2:35 on the power play, is expected to draw interest from several teams.
Teams like the Nashville Predators, Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames, and New York Islanders could all use additional secondary scoring. Additionally, teams like the Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks, who are looking for veteran forwards to mentor their young core, might also be interested in Skinner.
Despite his defensive deficiencies, which played a role in the Sabres’ decision to buy him out, Skinner’s goal-scoring ability remains valuable. The Toronto native, who held a no-movement clause on his last contract, now has the opportunity to control his own destiny this offseason.
For Kevyn Adams and the Sabres, buying out Skinner provides significant cap space, giving them the financial flexibility to make moves that could help the team finally break their playoff drought. With $31.7 million in cap space, Adams has the resources to make significant additions to the roster in the upcoming free agency period.
Source: Ryan S. Clark, NHL reporter for ESPN
