32-year-old winger scored 24 goals last season and will become a free agent on July 1
The Buffalo Sabres have indeed gone down a road they have not traveled, as GM Kevyn Adams indicated at the end of the 2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft in Las Vegas that the club will buy winger Jeff Skinner out of the final three years of his contract.
"We initiated the process today. it's a step by step process."Adams said at Sphere on Saturday. "That process was started early this morning."
The 32-year-old’s production dropped from 35 goals in 2023 to 24 goals last season and Skinner was dropped from the top line to the third line late in the year. Rumors of a buyout began just after the end of the regular season and with the hiring of head coach Lindy Ruff.
Adams indicated on Thursday that Skinner and representatives at Newport Sports were not willing to waive his no-movement clause to facilitate a trade, and from Skinner’s perspective, a buyout will give the veteran winger two-thirds of the $22 million owed on the final three years of his eight-year, $72 million contract and complete control of where he may play.
With the move, the Sabres will clear $7.55 million in cap space for the 2024-25 season, which could be used to sign free agents or acquire players who more fit new head coach Lindy Ruff's style of play. The buyout would result in a cap hit of $4.44 million in 2025-26, $6.44 million in 2026-27, and $2.44 million for the 2027-28, 2028-29, and 2029-30 seasons.
Buffalo could not find a trading partner in Las Vegas other than dealing a second-round pick to the Washington Capitals for depth forward Beck Malenstyn. With the Sabres opening up cap space, Adams will now have more flexibility to pursue unrestricted free agents when the market opens on Monday afternoon.
