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Mr. Skinn

January 9, 2019, 4:31 PM ET [5 Comments]
GARTH'S CORNER
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Jeff Skinner can care less of he wasn't invited to participate in the NHL All Star Game.

Skinner is the winner of another prize:


A HUGE contract extension at an NHL elite-echelon player average annual value.


Everything else is just a participation award.

While other NHLers are striving for recognition at the All Star Game, Skinner has three personal goals that he is working to achieve:

1. To lead his Sabres back to the playoffs for the first time in 8 seasons.
2. Winning a Stanley Cup with the Sabres.
3. To maximize his earning potential on a long term contract at an upper echelon AAV.

The pending unrestricted free agent has been jotter than a pistol this season. Skinner and Jack Eichel have found kismet playing together on Buffalo top scoring line. The dynamic duo have found instant chemistry playing alongside one another. Skihnner and Eichel are producing hyrdo-electric power on the banks of Lake Erie.

Skinner has exceeded all expectations that were placed upon home when he was traded to Buffalo from Carolina last summer.

Skinner is currently on pace to score the third-most goals in Buffalo Sabres franchise history, trailing only Alex Mogilny in 1992-93 (76 goals) and Danny Gare in 1979-80 (56 goals). Skinner's 43 even-strength goals would finish behind only Mogilny’s even-strength total from 1992-93 (49) and Rick Martin’s 44 in 1973-74 for third-most in the 49 year history of the Sabres.

The Toronto native is second on the NHL with three OT goals this season. Skinner’s tr nekinotal matches the Sabres’ single-season record shared by Daniel Briere (2006-07) and Derek Roy (2009-10) and ties him for 10th-most career overtime goals in franchise history.

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Skills Day 😋

A post shared by Jeff Skinner (@jeffskinner) on




Skinner has 7 game winning goals, which toes him for first in the NHL in that important statistical category with Connor McDavid, Elias Pettersson and Gabe Landeskog.

After 43 games played with the Sabres this season, Skinner has already lit the lamp 29 times. He enters Wednesday night's NHL action second in the NHL goal scoring race, which is one goal behind Alex Ovechkin's 30 snipes.

Skinner is on pace for his first career NHL 50-goal season, He potted 24 goals in Raleigh last season. Skinner ripped 37 goals for the Canes in 2016-17 after lighting the lamp 28 times the year before that and 18 goals the season before that.

Skinner is on pace to shatter his career high offensive numbers this season.

In 2016-17, Skinner scored 37 goals and 26 assists in 79 games played. He scored 30G,18A at even strength that season.

In 43 games this season, Skinner has scored 29G,13A of which 22G,9A are at even strength.

Skinner is now won pace to score 55G,25A (80 points) with 43G,18A at even strength.

Skinner never met a shot attempt he didn't like. This season, he has landed 135 shots on goals on 215 total shot attempts. His 21.5% S% is in the top ten in the NHL among players who have played 40 or more games.

42 points in the bank after 43 games played.


CHA-CHING! CHA_CHING! CHA-CHING!


Terry Pegula is going to have to frack for another natural gas stream to pay Skinner his just desserts. The Sabres are prepared to pay Skinner what he is worth.


So, when will contract extension talks intensify between the Sabres and Newport Sports on a Skinner contract extension with the Sabres?


On Wednesday, Pierre LeBrun (The Athletic) tweeted that Sabres GM Jason Botterill and Skinner's agent "have traded messages this week trying to firm up when both sides can get going on Skinner, who is having a monster year after being acquired from Carolina".


There were erroneous reports out of Buffalo in November and December that Botterill and Skinner's agent were hammering out a contract. Botterill has held true to what he told media in August which is he wanted Skinner to get settled into Buffalo before he inititad talks about a contract extension. Botterill wanted Skinner to get to know his teammates, the coaching staff, the city of Buffalo and to concentrate 100% of his attention of playing the bests brand of hockey possible. Botterill and Houlsey also wanted the opportunity to "test drive" Skinner before buying.

I would say that after five months of living together, both parties are ready to move the relationship to the next level.

Botterill has been out on the road scouting since the holidays ended. The feeling is that Botterill and Skinner's camp are progressing in their discussions.

What will a Skinner contract extension look like when it is all said and done?

I've been saying since July's trade to Buffalo that Skinner, a thirty goal scorer, would be signed for the same 7 years and $49 million that Evander Kane signed for in San Jose last summer. Skinner is easily a $7M AAV player. There is no denying it.

If I'm being honest, after having watched Skinner's instant assimilation into Phil Houlsey's offense and the immediate scoring vibe he has created with Eichel and Samson Reinhart, I can see an 8 year contract at between $7.75M and $8M AAV for Skinner. I don't think it is soutlandish to say that Jeff Skinner is a $62 to $64 million NHL player.



Skinner has already more than earned his $5.725M AAV season. Skinner turns 27 in May.

I've spoken with Skinner about playing in Buffalo several times this season He loves playing in front of a sold out barn full of hockey lunatics each and every night. He also loves playing in the Niagara Peninsula region which is an hour away from his hometown. Skinner has told me that he loves that his family and friends can watch him play in person every night in Buffalo the same they did when he played for the Kitchener Rangers in the OHL.

Botterill has a lot of skin in the game and he has no intentions of allowing Skinner to test unrestricted free agency on July 1.








Photos courtesy @MiMiV4682
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