Jeff Skinner has been tied up, taken away and held for ransom. Skinner better escape the chains that bind him. The veteran forward owes it to his teammates to deliver a return on the investment that the Sabres committed to him two seasons ago.
The $72 million man has a lot of explaining to do. In June 2019, Skinner scored a massive eight-year contract at an average annual value of $9 million GUARANTEED per season.
Skinner is not a rookie nor is he an organizational prospect looking to carve out his niche in the NHL. He's an 11-year NHL veteran who has had success in his career. In 732 career NHL games, Skinner has scored 258 goals and 208 assists for 466 points (117 power play points).
This season, Skinner has attracted the harsh light of criticism upon himself and only he can change the way his coaches, teammates and fans think of his performance.
Skinner has not scored a goal yet this season. Hell, he has landed only 27 shots on enemy goalies in his 12 games played. He’s not injured. He does not have the COVID-19 virus. It’s inexplicable how a 40-goal man can be pitching bagels when he should be leading his team in scoring.
It is infuriating for Sabres fans to admit that Skinner has tucked only three goals since December of 2019. The former Carolina Hurricanes sniper has only one assist to show for his efforts (or lack thereof) in 2021. Skinner better find a way out of his funk, and quickly, before he becomes a permanent fixture next to the Coca Cola and popcorn machines in the press box.
Ralph Krueger has already demoted Skinner from the first line to the fourth line. Earlier this week, Krueger threw Skinner a bone and elevated him back to Jack Eichel’s flank in an effort to kick start his scoring. Skinner responded with a whimper. Skinner was held without a shot in his 12:01 TOI played against the NY Islanders on Tuesday night. The night before, he landed only 3 shots on Semyon Varlamov in 16:44 TOI against the Isles. In 59 games played last season, the shifty right winger landed 183 pucks on opposing goalies which translated to a 7.7% shooting percentage. In 2018-19, his first campaign with the Sabres, Skinner scored 40 goals and registered 268 shots on enemy goalies (14.93 S%).
The Sabres enter tonight’s game in Washington with a 4-6-2 record and a trend line that is pointing towards Florida. Skinner isn’t the only Sabres forward suffering through a lumber slumber right now.
Taylor Hall, Jack Eichel, Samson Reinhart and Eric Staal are also struggling to light the lamp. Hall has a power play tally on 31 shots on goal while Eichel has 2 goals (1 PPG) on 42 shots on goal. Reinhart has 3 goals (2 PPG) on just 26 shots in goal and Staal 3 goals (1 PPG) on 11 shots on goal.
Victor Olofsson leads all Sabres with 5 goals scored with 4 goals coming with the man advantage.
Combined, Skinner, Hall, Eichel, Reinhart, Staal, and Olofsson have scored just 5 goals at even strength this season.
The Sabres power play is currently ranked the fifth in the NHL. The team has scored on 13 of its 43 power play opportunities this season for a 30.2 % conversion rate. Skinner has not contributed to the success of the power play.
The Sabres have scored at least one power-play goal in six of their last seven games, going 10-for-26 (38.5%) in those contests.
The Sabres lead the NHL with nine different players with at least one goal on the power play. Skinner still has a zero in the PPG column. Their 10 players with at least one power-play point this season tied for ninth-most in the NHL.
Victor Olofsson is tied for fourth in the NHL with four power-play goals and tied for seventh with nine power-play points. His 17 career power-play tallies trailed only David Pastrnak (22) and Leon Draisaitl (20) for the most in the league since he made his NHL debut on March 28, 2019.
Skinner should be feeling peer pressure from Olofsson's power play points production right now. The competitor in Skinner should be pissed off that Olofsson is scoring on the power play and he isn't.
If the Sabres are going to earn one of four playoff berths in the East Division, and there is plenty of time left in the regular season to do so, Skinner is going to have to pop off and start scoring goals like he has in his NHL career. It’s time for Skinner finally live up to the pressure and high expectations that are part and parcel related to being one of the highest paid right wingers in the NHL.
What value is Skinner providing to his teammates while he battles through his horrendous scoring slump? He doesn't hit. He doesn't fight. He doesn't block shots. He doesn't finish checks. He doesn't kill penalties. He doesn't score goals. Right now, the only thing Skinner is doing is skating very fast, shimmy-shaking opposing defensemen from 40-50 feet out and logo sniping enemy goalies. I have a recommendation. If Skinner continues to struggle, Krueger should healthy scratch him and play rookie Dylan Cozens in his place. Cozens was on the COVID protocols list from February 1 to February 17. Cozens is off the list now and is ready to resume his season. Prior to the COVID conundrum that quarantined the Sabres for two weeks, Cozens was one of Buffalo's best forwards on a shift by shift basis. I'm all for taking ice time away from Skinner and rewarding Cozens.
***
At the height of the COVID lunacy brought about by a weekend series with the New Jersey Devils on January 30 and 31, the Buffalo Sabres had nine of their players and head coach Ralph Krueger quarantined due to COVID.
Great news for the Buffalo Sabres.
There are zero Sabres players on the NHL COVID protocols list as of Wednesday February 17.
Sabres coach Ralph Krueger said Thursday he does not expect Rasmus Ristolainen to join the team on its four-game road trip.
Dylan Cozens, Curtis Lazar, Casey Mittelstadt, and Brandon Montour are all cleared to play, but not all will reintegrate into the lineup immediately.
Lazar confirmed he tested positive for COVID-19 and experienced symptoms for roughly four days.
Cozens also tested positive for COVID, however, he was asymptomatic.
Montour also tested positive for COVID.
Taylor Hall, Toby Rieder, Rasmus Dahlin (did not test positive for COVID), and Jake McCabe have already resumed playing in practices and games.
"We certainly will, again, remain patient with the way we reintegrate the players on our rosters, so not all of them will come back in," Ralph Krueger said Thursday. "We're just happy to see them cleared."
"You realize this thing's real, and it's no joke," Lazar said. "Us guys that had it, kind of talking about our symptoms and what we're going through, it's really interesting the wide range of symptoms and how guys can be affected."
***
Buffalo Sabres Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»