By Jordan Long
The Buffalo Sabres finished the 2019 season at 33-39-10 for a total of 76 points, missing the postseason for the 8th year in a row. They are now looking towards free agency and improving their team. Buffalo would like to re-sign forward Jeff Skinner. Both sides are working towards an agreement which they hope to have resolved by July 1st, the start of free agency.
Skinner is one of their top forwards on the team. He is a goal scorer who uses his speed to create scoring chances. Those end in goals for the Sabres. Skinner had a career high of 40 goals with 23 assists. Skinner is valuable on the power play because he will screen the goaltender in front which could be goals for his teammates or tip-ins, adding to his total. Skinner will also find the rebound and put the puck in the back of the net. He totaled 8 power play goals.
The Sabres know his best days in the NHL are ahead of him. He is 27 and in the prime of his career. If he keeps improving his game, that will be scary for the rest of the NHL. Skinner could be in the conversation as one of the top scorers in the league if he keeps his play up.
The Sabres would like to keep him in Buffalo. They are going to continue to talk before July 1st. It is still possible after that date, Buffalo can keep him. The risk is another team might offer him a contract that will be difficult for Skinner to refuse. The difference is the Sabres can offer him an 8-year deal while other teams can only give him 7-years under the NHL rules.
The Sabres will continue to talk with Skinner. It might be he tests the free agency market to find his value. If that happens, the Sabres may need to focus their attention on other free agents. It would be a big loss for the Sabres on offense but a gain for another team. Plenty of franchises are interested in Skinner because of his offense and his ability to create scoring opportunities. Time will tell but the clock is ticking for the Sabres to keep Skinner.
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