[News] Sabres to buyout Jeff Skinner

[sureLoss]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1807139916943606110

https://twitter.com/user/status/1807140005732925843

[agulati]

I was hoping we could pick him up with a sweetener.

[keenan87]

I hope the Flames sign him to a 1-year $7MM deal. Hope he has a big year and trade him at the deadline.

[mrdonkey]

Might be a good guy to pick up for one year at $6-7 mil and flip with retention at the deadline.

[agulati]

I think he’d see decent interest as a free agent on a multi year deal

[trackercowe]

Maybe he'll get in his first playoff game?

[curves2000]

It's decisions like this that really hamper organizations longer term. He isn't a broken NHL player and can get still contribute, by the time the cap hit savings are impactful enough for the Sabers, his contract would be done anyways. 6 years of dead money for a team that never wins is absurd.

[agulati]

I don’t think the Sabres have cap issues currently either.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by agulati

I was hoping we could pick him up with a sweetener.

No way he would waive to be traded unless it included a buyout on the other end. The possibility of getting bought out and then signing another contract is a very lucrative opportunity for Skinner and gives him a lot of control on where he goes.

And with the cost of the buyout, the sweetener would have had to be extreme, like several unprotected 1st round picks. I don't think Buffalo would ever have considered that.

[Badgers Nose]

I guess he’ll have options, but I am sad that a quick statistical rehab with the Flames where he would get top 6 minutes and PP time, didn’t appeal to him. I’m sure Flames kicked tires on this - seems like exactly the sort of deal Conroy is looking for.

Get a viable NHLer on a short contract, and get some inducement(s) in excahnge for taking the player and helping the other team get out of the contract. Then deal that player at the TDL to a contender so that they get playoff hockey. Everyone wins!