Some interesting developments on the negotiations between the #Sabres and Jeff Skinner came about last night via TSN's Bob McKenzie.

“Sweet spot seems to be an eight-year deal between $8.5 million and $9.5 million”

That’s way too much
- lulags

If your signing a 40 goal scorer that’s going to ufa that’s what u pay, if you don’t you have to go get someone else. How many 40 goal wingers are on the market?

look at how bad the petry contract looked for the habs when they signed him

now it's a steal

same with scheifele
- homiedclown

So Skinner is all of a sudden going to turn into a 85 point two way winger ?

The Sabres are have been really bad for a decade. I’m happy we’re keeping the slick 40 goal scorer. If you’re not down with this..maybe lighten up. We have a terrible hockey team and Skinner is awesome. It’s also Buffalo, it’s not a great place, you gotta overpay. You literally have to overpay. Consider it a “baller-tax.” Buffalo can’t offer anything that Miami/Chicago/NYC/Toronto/Vancouver/Nashville/Boston/Montreal/LA/San Jose/Vegas/Denver/ literally every city in the league sans Winnipeg, Ottawa, Calgary and I dunno Edmonton kinda sucks but whatever..WAKE UP!!! Wake up you babies. Skinner can do whatever he wants, and our hockey team sucks and our city has nothing on those places mentioned..except charm and maybe the people but JFC the fans that are so sensitive and desperate and obsessed with paying Skinner 8 instead of 9 million make it a wash. Again, wake up..and honestly, lighten up. You can’t have Skinner for market value. You can’t. Stop comparing it to other contracts in other cities. Stop belaboring a point that is so clear and so obvious to everyone but you. Wake up.

If your signing a 40 goal scorer that’s going to ufa that’s what u pay, if you don’t you have to go get someone else. How many 40 goal wingers are on the market?
- Sabres1523

A 30 yo Eberle is going to cost what, 6-7 mil?

Skinner at 9 is a 500k overpayment

We need goal scorers.
We need depth scoring.
We can’t afford a $9 mill winger and yet we can’t afford to let a 40 goal scorer walk. Assuming it’s 8 @ $9, it’s safe to say nobody will call it a steal and yet it is still the right move.

An important note: the entire Sabres team fell off a cliff around Jan. Before that happened Skinner was on pace for 50+. He was neck and neck for the Rocket trophy around the midpoint of the season. 40G with Eichel is not his ceiling, and their chemistry can only improve with time.

my guess is if okposo and scandella were not on the roster, nobody would have a problem paying skinner 9 mil per
- homiedclown

If Okposo was making $3M instead of $6M nobody would complain. If Scandella was making $2M instead of $4M the same would apply.

I was jumping for joy when we traded for Skinner but I don’t like paying a one dimensional winger $9M. Is he really worth 500K less then Mark Stone who averaged almost a PPG and got nominated for a Selkie ?

So Skinner is all of a sudden going to turn into a 85 point two way winger ?
- Pegullaville

I knew you had it in you.

There’s no scenario where letting him walk was good
- OneKaneOneCup

Don't have to go back all that far to find people wanting to let him walk and sign Stone for 8m. That was a reasonable plan.

If Okposo was making $3M instead of $6M nobody would complain. If Scandella was making $2M instead of $4M the same would apply.

I was jumping for joy when we traded for Skinner but I don’t like paying a one dimensional winger $9M. Is he really worth 500K less then Mark Stone who averaged almost a PPG and got nominated for a Selkie ?
- Pegullaville

Stop comparing Buffalo contracts to Vegas. Just..grow up. It’s kindof like saying, you could work at a Wendy’s in Fallujah, or in Seattle. Educate yourself.

If Okposo was making $3M instead of $6M nobody would complain. If Scandella was making $2M instead of $4M the same would apply.

I was jumping for joy when we traded for Skinner but I don’t like paying a one dimensional winger $9M. Is he really worth 500K less then Mark Stone who averaged almost a PPG and got nominated for a Selkie ?
- Pegullaville

I would. They’re bad hockey players

A 30 yo Eberle is going to cost what, 6-7 mil?

Skinner at 9 is a 500k overpayment
- OneKaneOneCup

Consider it a tax, for getting a grown up multi-millionaire to dedicate the prime if his life to Buffalo.

If Okposo was making $3M instead of $6M nobody would complain. If Scandella was making $2M instead of $4M the same would apply.

I was jumping for joy when we traded for Skinner but I don’t like paying a one dimensional winger $9M. Is he really worth 500K less then Mark Stone who averaged almost a PPG and got nominated for a Selkie ?
- Pegullaville

Skinner is a great hockey player.

We need more of those. Not less.

Scandella is bad, at $4 million or two.

And shout to all the grown-ups who know what it costs to lockdown a 27yo All-Star in Buffalo through his prime. BLESS YOU, for your common sense and the fact that you want cool, exciting hockey players to play on our team.

Stop comparing Buffalo contracts to Vegas. Just..grow up. It’s kindof like saying, you could work at a Wendy’s in Fallujah, or in Seattle. Educate yourself.
- jimmy mcnaulty

Then why doesn’t the NHL adjust the salary cap then for teams that play in states with tax advantages ? Idc about tax laws, one is making $9.5M against the cap, the other could be making $9M. One is an all around elite winger, the other if he isn’t scoring goals does not contribute to the team winning hockey games.

Then why doesn’t the NHL adjust the salary cap then for teams that play in states with tax advantages ? Idc about tax laws, one is making $9.5M against the cap, the other could be making $9M. One is an all around elite winger, the other if he isn’t scoring goals does not contribute to the team winning hockey games.
- Pegullaville

I’m sorry..do you not understand the difference between cities? Some are great, some are not? Do you have a job that requires you to pay income tax as well? Do you know about different climates..and the lack of sunshine and warmth in certain cities over others? Its a free market pal and Jeff is literally UNRESTRICTED. Educate yourself, and stop living in a video game.

I’m sorry..do you not understand the difference between cities? Some are great, some are not? Do you have a job that requires you to pay income tax as well? Do you know about different climates..and the lack of sunshine and warmth in certain cities over others? Its a free market pal and Jeff is literally UNRESTRICTED. Educate yourself, and stop living in a video game.
- jimmy mcnaulty

You're listing negatives, but one of the things Skinner cited when he waived to come here was proximity to his family in Ontario.

Then why doesn’t the NHL adjust the salary cap then for teams that play in states with tax advantages ? Idc about tax laws, one is making $9.5M against the cap, the other could be making $9M. One is an all around elite winger, the other if he isn’t scoring goals does not contribute to the team winning hockey games.
- Pegullaville

You’re obviously a young child or a “not-wealthy” adult with limited options. Either way, no worries. You do know that Canadian teams have a huge disadvantage with regards to the strength of their dollar right? And you know Nikita Kucherov doesn’t pay income tax..right?

You're listing negatives, but one of the things Skinner cited when he waived to come here was proximity to his family in Ontario.
- jcragcrumple

That’s right, and that’s awesome it matters to him. It’s not really a Buffalo-thing but it’s a bonus for us and him for sure. AWESOME..we need all the help we can get to sign or keep UFA’s. And still, we’re gonna pay the superstar tax for not quite a superstar. For our all-star, who wants to play here, for a truckload of dough. Again, cool. I like goals, and I’d like to win.

You're listing negatives, but one of the things Skinner cited when he waived to come here was proximity to his family in Ontario.
- jcragcrumple

Edjimehkate yurzelf playa playa

I’m sorry..do you not understand the difference between cities? Some are great, some are not? Do you have a job that requires you to pay income tax as well? Do you know about different climates..and the lack of sunshine and warmth in certain cities over others? Its a free market pal and Jeff is literally UNRESTRICTED. Educate yourself, and stop living in a video game.
- jimmy mcnaulty

If all jeff cared about is money then he can go piss his money away in a warm climate city all he wants. If hockey is important to him he will make the best decision for himself. Buffalo offers a very intriguing opportunity to play on an up and coming team. Do Jack Eichel and Rasmus Dahlin play for the Sabres or is that only in Be a GM Mode in NHL 19 ?

He hasn’t signed here..he accepted a trade for 10 months..now here we are..and we’re gonna pay the superstar tax for not quite a superstar. For an all-star, who wants to play here, for a truckload of dough. Cool. I like goals, and I’d like to win.
- jimmy mcnaulty

Let's see what the final price is. Regardless, a very good player chose to play here for his own reasons. Let's not all feed into the woe-is-me, inferiority complex narrative. There are many reasons players choose to sign here.

If all jeff cared about is money then he can go piss his money away in a warm climate city all he wants. If hockey is important to him he will make the best decision for himself. Buffalo offers a very intriguing opportunity to play on an up and coming team. Do Jack Eichel and Rasmus Dahlin play for the Sabres or is that only in Be a GM Mode in NHL 19 ?
- Pegullaville

Tittie clubzz near beaches are Supieror to the downer

Let's see what the final price is. Regardless, a very good player chose to play here for his own reasons. Let's not all feed into the woe-is-me, inferiority complex narrative. There are many reasons players choose to sign here.
- jcragcrumple

Those Europeans always think Buffalo is a suburb of Nyc

If all jeff cared about is money then he can go piss his money away in a warm climate city all he wants. If hockey is important to him he will make the best decision for himself. Buffalo offers a very intriguing opportunity to play on an up and coming team. Do Jack Eichel and Rasmus Dahlin play for the Sabres or is that only in Be a GM Mode in NHL 19 ?
- Pegullaville

IF HOCKEY IS IMPORTANT TO HIM!!! Hey buddy, if hockey is important to Skins he’d play for a good team!! Don’t ever slag Jeff for A. Coming here & B. Staying. I don’t care what his motives nor should you, and the arrogance and cluelessness your comment indicates is just laughable. This a grown man, kiddo, making grown man decisions. Should he decide to stick around, he should be celebrated, regardless of why he did it. Should he leave, it would surprise NO ONE..for reasons quite obvious to everyone but you.

That’s right, and that’s awesome it matters to him. It’s not really a Buffalo-thing but it’s a bonus for us and him for sure. AWESOME..we need all the help we can get to sign or keep UFA’s. And still, we’re gonna pay the superstar tax for not quite a superstar. For our all-star, who wants to play here, for a truckload of dough. Again, cool. I like goals, and I’d like to win.
- jimmy mcnaulty

Carolina made it to the ECF this year did they not ?

I’m trying really hard to find a one dimensional 40 goal scorer on St.Louis or Boston rosters care to help me out ?