I really like Jeff Skinner... but they really got no discount for being the only team that can give him 8 years.
That’s now the 16th biggest contract in the NHL - in line with Benn, Kucherov, and Stone. He’s not at that level of player IMO, has a rough injury history, and you are overpaid based on a career season.
His Career GPG average (0.37 GPG) is really similar to Kane and Pacioretty who recently signed for a $7M cap hit - is he really worth $2M than those guys especially on an 8 year term.
If they could have got him for 5 years at $9M and overpaid to keep the term down that’s fine but to give him that overpay at full term is crazy.
Granted Eichel and Skinner were great together last year...but are they $19M of your cap hit great?
Where do we replace the scoring if he walks? Panarin? He's not coming to Buffalo. Trade for a 40 goal scorer? Who? And what pieces (that we're willing to give up) would fetch that kind of return?
It's as much about the circumstance as it is about the contract. Yeah it would've been dumb for a team like Calgary or Vegas or whoever to give him this contract on July 1. But Buffalo had to sign him, it would've been a disaster if they didn't.
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Where do we replace the scoring if he walks? Panarin? He's not coming to Buffalo. Trade for a 40 goal scorer? Who? And what pieces (that we're willing to give up) would fetch that kind of return?
It's as much about the circumstance as it is about the contract. Yeah it would've been dumb for a team like Calgary or Vegas or whoever to give him this contract on July 1. But Buffalo had to sign him, it would've been a disaster if they didn't.
Win now!
No, the correct course of action for a team that completely imploded post January 1 is to trade a pending free agent in the midst of a career high season at 27 years of age to the highest bidder in the 3 weeks leading up to the trade DEADLINE, NOT sign them to a completely outrageous contract to prevent him from leaving.
FYI this is a bigger diaster than letting him walk away for nothing.
Getting a deep pocketed owner has been the worst thing to happen to buffalo since Bret hull's skate.
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This is the unintended consequence of the salary cap. Teams like Buffalo need to spend so they end up with contracts like this. The currency has different values in different cities.
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Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube
Where do we replace the scoring if he walks? Panarin? He's not coming to Buffalo. Trade for a 40 goal scorer? Who? And what pieces (that we're willing to give up) would fetch that kind of return?
It's as much about the circumstance as it is about the contract. Yeah it would've been dumb for a team like Calgary or Vegas or whoever to give him this contract on July 1. But Buffalo had to sign him, it would've been a disaster if they didn't.
From day 1 i have been a huge Jeff Skinner fan...even called his Calder back in the day with the canes.
He plays the game the right way, is an OK 200' player even if not an elite level one, and has great hands with decent skating abilities.
All that being said..this contract looks to be a disaster at some point sooner rather than later.
If it was this deal or he walks? You let him walk. However, Botterill should have been well aware long before the deadline what, generally, it would take to keep him in Buffalo and if it was this? He should have dealt him and got a pretty decent haul. This is really poor GMing in my opinion.
You sound like you are even trying to talk yourself into believing this deal is OK. It isn't.
The money isn't even the issue here, its the money for 8 years. This is an absolute MAX contract for a guy of this caliber. Maybe even higher.
Skinner is a great player for sure, but he isnt a top 20 in the entire league player unless he starts popping 40 a year every year. I wouldn't count on that...though him and Eichel may have a few good years together...it wont be until Skinner is 35 years old.
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No, the correct course of action for a team that completely imploded post January 1 is to trade a pending free agent in the midst of a career high season at 27 years of age to the highest bidder in the 3 weeks leading up to the trade DEADLINE, NOT sign them to a completely outrageous contract to prevent him from leaving.
FYI this is a bigger diaster than letting him walk away for nothing.
Getting a deep pocketed owner has been the worst thing to happen to buffalo since Bret hull's skate.
You forget get that it is also a business.
Walking away from Skinner might be the right move hockey wise, but it’s likely to alienate the fan base who will only put up with some much mediocrity.
Buffalo is a team on the rise, it might be bad business to regress now.
Skinner had great chemistry with Eichel. There is that.
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Originally Posted by The Cobra
You forget get that it is also a business.
Walking away from Skinner might be the right move hockey wise, but it’s likely to alienate the fan base who will only put up with some much mediocrity.
Buffalo is a team on the rise, it might be bad business to regress now.
Skinner had great chemistry with Eichel. There is that.
But I don’t disagree with your hockey analysis.
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Well yeah, cause there is no other direction to go.I think they finished ahead of 4 teams in the league last year.
I agree you need to show fans you have a plan...this is not that though IMO. They are not close to contending based on last years and previous seasons results.
They are a mess on defense and looking at capfriendly, appear to have 2 NHL defensemen signed beyond this upcoming season. Their situation in goal is more of a question than the Flames have, which is hard to fathom, and are lacking depth everywhere.
Maybe Ralph Krueger can whip them into a much better team, but that is not something to be counted on, even though I have no doubt he is an upgrade on Housely.
I don't know...this is a huge gamble to ever see a payoff IMO.
[...]But Buffalo had to sign him, it would've been a disaster if they didn't.
This is indeed how some GM's think, and it's the path to making catastrophic errors in free agency.
Simply put, if you have to overpay a player to play for you, let him play somewhere else. You can't predict where things will stand in two years, much less six or seven. Don't hamstring your team for eight years with a deal that's cringe-worthy on day one.
As for where you get the scoring from, you need Reinhart, Nylander and Middlestat to make progress or this isn't going anywhere. The Sabres have one of the better prospect pools in the league. Keep building through the draft.
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If Jeff Skinner is a 9 million dollar foward, what the hell are they going to end up paying Sam Reinhart?
A #### of a lot less. Sam Reinhart can't carry Jeff Skinner's jock at this point, regardless of point production. Just like Matthew Tkachuk can't compare to Skinner, Reinhart should not be pressing that case as well. Skinner is a much better player all around and has the advantage of UFA status to work with. Neither Tkachuk nor Reinhart have that advantage, nor the track record, to rely upon when it comes to establishing their worth.
A #### of a lot less. Sam Reinhart can't carry Jeff Skinner's jock at this point, regardless of point production. Just like Matthew Tkachuk can't compare to Skinner, Reinhart should not be pressing that case as well. Skinner is a much better player all around and has the advantage of UFA status to work with. Neither Tkachuk nor Reinhart have that advantage, nor the track record, to rely upon when it comes to establishing their worth.
I dunno man.
Reinhart is a 3x 20 goal scorer with 47, 50 and 65 point seasons in the last three years.
They just gave 9 million dollars to a guy who scored 63 points and 3 years ago gave 6 million to a guy who scored 64 points.
Reinhart will be arbitration eligible at the end of the season and I believe will be a 25 year old UFA due to accrued seasons, meaning any multi year deal he signs with include at least 1 year of UFA status.
If I'm Reinhart's agent I have a muffin basket on the way to Skinner's house right now.
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Originally Posted by New Era
A #### of a lot less. Sam Reinhart can't carry Jeff Skinner's jock at this point, regardless of point production. Just like Matthew Tkachuk can't compare to Skinner, Reinhart should not be pressing that case as well. Skinner is a much better player all around and has the advantage of UFA status to work with. Neither Tkachuk nor Reinhart have that advantage, nor the track record, to rely upon when it comes to establishing their worth.
Not that i disagree with you, but Reinhart out pointed Skinner on the same team this year.
He doesn't have UFA status obviously, but RFA leverage has seemingly dried up for the teams.
Reinhart is definitely in line for a huge payday just compared to the other contracts on his own team, nevermind around the league. I will say though he certainly isnt as well rounded a player...at least not yet.
Sams averaging 51 pts a year. Skinner has averaged 55 pts a year.
Not going to be as much a difference as one would expect IMO.
Reinhart is a 3x 20 goal scorer with 47, 50 and 65 point seasons in the last three years.
They just gave 9 million dollars to a guy who scored 63 points and 3 years ago gave 6 million to a guy who scored 64 points.
Reinhart will be arbitration eligible at the end of the season and I believe will be a 25 year old UFA due to accrued seasons, meaning any multi year deal he signs with include at least 1 year of UFA status.
If I'm Reinhart's agent I have a muffin basket on the way to Skinner's house right now.
*40 goals. 40 goal scorers get paid
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