NHL Rumors: Are the Buffalo Sabres Thinking About a Jeff Skinner Buyout?
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Sportsnet: Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek on 32 Thoughts: The Podcast – The Rat Pack Is Dragged Back to Edmonton episode, on the rumors surrounding a potential Jeff Skinner buyout in Buffalo.

** NHLRumors.com transcription

Friedman: “So this is something that has been floating around hockey circles for probably, at least it reached my ears, about three or four days ago. And the tough thing is, is that you know, the Sabres aren’t saying anything. He’s represented by Don Meehan. Don Meehan’s keeping quiet about it.

And what someone else said to me was that you have to be careful because the buyout window doesn’t begin until 48 hours after the Stanley Cup is awarded, so things can always change.

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So, you know, that’s, you know, but I do think it was going to get out. It was you know, something that more and more people were talking about.

Now, you know, someone said to me, why don’t the Sabres ask him to waive his no-move clause and the thing is, is that if you’re Jeff Skinner in this situation and you know, the Sabres may want to move on from you, (a) you want to control things. That’s what you want to do. You want to be in control of the situation. So it’s, so it’s probably better for you, unless you’re absolutely convinced that Buffalo can trade you to a place you want to go. It’s probably better for you to say no, just wait, just buy me out. And let me go to a place that I want to go.

And secondly, you know, his contract is $9 million. If we go to a situation where he’s an unrestricted free agent, he can take his buyout, which is two-thirds of $22 million over six years, and he can pick it at whatever salary he wants. Skinner has much more control over the situation as an unrestricted free agent, getting to pick his destination at his salary.

So I think that’s why Buffalo is kind of in this position. The other interesting thing about it, there’s a couple, number one for next year his cap hit would be under $1.5 million using Capitals Friendly. And so it would give Buffalo an extra $7.5 million dollars of cap room. And next year is huge year for the Sabres.

The other thing that kind of interested me about it, too, is that they’re looking for, they’re believed to be looking for a couple of forwards. One, one of those edgier, depth pieces that we’ve been talking about, but also a top-six forward if they could.

And you know, Skinner, he had 24 goals last year, he scored 40 before, he scored 30 before. I know the big knock on him is you know, he’s played it that over 1000 games, he’s never made the playoffs, but he can score.

So it’s a really, really interesting move by the Sabres that will give them a ton of flexibility for next year should it happen. But, you know, I always try to be careful with what I say unless 100% know, so I can’t say 100% it’s gonna happen but it’s definitely out there. And I think we’re just waiting to see if Buffalo makes a final decision.”

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