3 reasons why trading Jeff Skinner would make sense for the Sabres
Jeff Skinner is one of the most notable forwards on the Sabres, but trading him in the offseason wouldn’t be such a bad idea.
On the surface, a Jeff Skinner trade would be out of the question for many Sabres fans, and they have an excellent point. Since Skinner signed a “bad” contract before the 2019-20 season, his play has been up and down, but it’s mostly been up starting in 2021-22.
If you’re new to the Blue and Gold, the story goes like this: Skinner signed an eight-year agreement with an AAV of $9 million a year following a 40-goal, 63-point season. Then he compiled 37 points and 21 goals over his next 112 games, which is why his contract was such a bad deal at the time.
Since then, however, Skinner put up 191 points and 92 goals over his next 233 games, and he hit a career-best in 2022-23 with 82 points. So why would it make so much sense to trade a player whose productivity has at least been solid?
It makes sense for the Sabres to trade Jeff Skinner in 2024
For starters, I’ll stress that just because there are a few reasons such a trade makes sense, it doesn’t mean I would endorse it. You can make a compelling argument, and one with points I would agree with, on why the trade makes zero sense. But I’m also a big believer in looking at multiple sides of the equation, so this is what today’s exercise is all about.
I also want to point out that Skinner has a no-movement clause, meaning he must agree to any type of trade should it take place. If you want to see Skinner stick around, that should be reassurance, but if he feels the situation would be better elsewhere, he could be cool with general manager Kevyn Adams moving him elsewhere.
I’ll also point out that this piece is fully speculative. But for a player who wasn’t as consistent last season and one who also takes up some serious space in the Sabres salary cap, it’s worth exploring the idea.
A Jeff Skinner trade opens a spot in the lineup for younger talent
While the Sabres should be past acquiring all the younger talent they can get, they can still bring the best versions of themselves forward by trading Skinner and making room in the top-six for a prospect they believe is ready to take the next step. This doesn’t mean it would make sense for Jiri Kulich, Matt Savoie, or Isak Rosen to receive a promotion and immediately play on the first line, but there are young players who should be ready to succeed Skinner.
JJ Peterka enjoyed a sensational age-22 season with 50 points and 28 goals, and while fans may like to see him stick to the ‘Kid Line,’ if the Sabres feel he better serves the team on the first line, trading Skinner helps make that happen.
Ditto for Jack Quinn, who, despite playing in just 27 games, was on pace to score between 57 and 58 points, meaning there is a good chance he would have had an even better season if he were healthy all year. If Quinn stays healthy, he too could legitimately compete for a spot on the first line alongside presumably Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch.
Zach Benson could move up into a second-line role as he will be poised for the same kind of breakout season in 2024-25, while another first-round pick could end up with his spot on the third line. Or, there’s always the possibility Adams adds more established and consistent talent to the first line or at least the top-six, so let’s talk about it in the next section.
The trade would also free up more cap space for more consistent talent
Trading away Jeff Skinner, even if it means retaining a portion of his salary over the next three seasons, nonetheless opens cap space. Although Skinner has performed well since 2021-22, he wasn’t the most consistent player in the lineup during his age-31 season, finishing with 46 points and 24 goals.
Not a bad number when you consider Alex Tuch and Rasmus Dahlin led the team in points with 59 apiece, but it’s also worth noting that Skinner finished behind Casey Mittelstadt in points. That also wouldn’t have been so bad since Mittelstadt parlayed his breakout campaign in 2022-23 into something more this season, but there’s only one caveat: The Sabres traded Mittelstadt following his 62nd game.
Sure, the entire team was inconsistent, but Skinner, despite also finishing third on the team in goals, not only dropped off, but his age and larger contract made this less forgivable than others like Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch, and Dylan Cozens. Trading Skinner and handing a portion of his salary elsewhere gives Kevyn Adams more spending money to add a more consistent forward.
And who knows, maybe trading Skinner could also lead to an elite talent coming to…or coming back…to Buffalo? Hey, the Sabres already reunited with their coach, so the latter isn’t out of the question. As for the top-line quip from earlier, this would be a situation where a younger, more consistent talent would come in and take that spot.
Or, if this scenario occurred and Adams brought in someone better suited for the second line, someone like Quinn or Peterka would factor in on the first, and the newcomer would play on the second.
Trading Jeff Skinner would also open up more potential long-term deals
Even if a trade occurred and the Sabres retained 50 percent, they’re still saving substantial money. So even if they went the cost-effective route in free agency and easily brought on a forward or two with their current cap space, they could also use those cap savings from a hypothetical Skinner trade to reinvest in current talent.
One of the mysteries here would be how to extend the likes of JJ Peterka, Jack Quinn, and ultimately Zach Benson and Alex Tuch, four more players who should comprise the core. There are several routes the Sabres could go with regarding all of the above besides Tuch, who will be an unrestricted free agent and would need a long-term deal by the end of 2025-26 if they wanted to keep him around, but trading Skinner this summer would nonetheless help.
Quinn and Peterka will be looking for new and more lucrative contracts, even if Kevyn Adams could theoretically bring them back on bridge deals for the moment. Ditto for Benson, who will also be eligible following the 2025-26 season, while Quinn and Peterka must sign following 2024-25.
Overall, there are arguments to be made for and against trading Skinner, and tomorrow, we’ll talk about why this hypothetical trade wouldn’t be such a good idea.
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(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)