Jeff Skinner Agrees to waive His NMC for Expansion Draft

[sabrefanday1]

Was reading The Hockey News mock expansion draft and they have Seattle taking MIller and also taking Matt Duschene from Nashville which begs the question...why take Duschene and have no one to play with him? Would Skinner not make a good line mate? Of course then Skinner would go on to score 20 or 30 goals...

 

 OH do we have any interest in Jake Allen who Montreal cannot protect?  

Edited July 15, 2021 by sabrefanday1

[LGR4GM]

I think Skinner will score 20+ goals on the Sabres next year without Krueger here ruining things. 

[JohnC]

5 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

I think Skinner will score 20+ goals on the Sabres next year without Krueger here ruining things. 

If Granato can get Skinner in the scoring range that you listed it would be like adding a good free agent to the roster. Skinner will never produce up to the level of his salary but he still could be an important goal scoring contributor on a team that struggles to score. Krueger did a lot of damage with not only his dinosaur coaching philosophy but he also made a number of bad personnel moves. As an example the Cody Eakins addition with his two year deal never made sense. And it was starkly evident when he was on the ice. 

[JohnC]

On 7/14/2021 at 10:44 AM, nfreeman said:

 

Interesting.  From Skinner’s perspective I don’t think he would waive unless he were OK with Seattle taking him.  And I wouldn’t be surprised if Adams, as part of his reset of the team culture, were trying to work out a deal with Seattle to take him.

I doubt that Skinner would waive his NMC if he felt that there was a chance he would be taken. And I don't believe that it makes any sense for Seattle to take Skinner and his onerous long-term contract, even with inducements to take him. In order to induce Seattle to take him the Sabres would have to give up some significant assets to make this unrealistic scenario to happen. The Sabres are a rebuilding team that can't afford to jettison critical assets because we don't have much excess to give away. 

There is a simple explanation why Skinner gave it up his NMC clause: He was helping the organization with a small chance that he would have to move.  

[Doohickie]

On 7/14/2021 at 11:23 AM, New Scotland (NS) said:

This is exactly right.  This move proves that he is a real team player here in Buffalo.

It's a signal that he's willing to work with the organization, possibly an effort to reset his relationship with Granato, who was (rightly) focused on developing the youth last season.

[Marvin]

1 hour ago, Doohickie said:

It's a signal that he's willing to work with the organization, possibly an effort to reset his relationship with Granato, who was (rightly) focused on developing the youth last season.

Maybe Skinner is starting to mature as a person because of circumstances and becomes a leader?

[Thorny]

15 hours ago, Hoss said:

I think Tage might have another level. I don’t WANT to lose him but right handed defensemen are harder to come by.

*JBotts1976 has entered the chat*

Edited July 15, 2021 by Thorny

[Claude Balls]

Pay article for anyone who as the A

 

https://theathletic.com/2707379/2021/07/14/how-jeff-skinners-decision-to-waive-his-no-movement-clause-impacts-buffalos-expansion-draft-list?source=user-shared-article

Edited July 15, 2021 by Claude Balls

[Zamboni]

4 minutes ago, Claude Balls said:

Pay article for anyone who as the A

 

https://theathletic.com/2707379/2021/07/14/how-jeff-skinners-decision-to-waive-his-no-movement-clause-impacts-buffalos-expansion-draft-list?source=user-shared-article

Can you give us the cliff notes? 

[Doohickie]

1 hour ago, Marvin, Sabres Fan said:

Maybe Skinner is starting to mature as a person because of circumstances and becomes a leader?

Let's not oversell it. If he buys in I will be happy. 

Edited July 15, 2021 by Doohickie

[Claude Balls]

19 minutes ago, Zamboni said:

Can you give us the cliff notes? 

Basically says Skinner made the move because he wants to stay in Buffalo. Says Adams has had numerous talks with Ron Francis and that Seattle doesn't want Skinner so that's why he was fine with waiving his NMC. The belief is that Seattle is targeting Borgen. So if Adams wants to keep WB, he's gonna have to swing some sort of deal like the Sabres did with Vegas, in order to keep Ullmark. It also gives likely scenarios for what players will most likely stay in Buffalo and what their rolls will be. Says Middlestadt will center one of the top two lines with Jack gone. If Casey is the #1 center, that makes me a little nervous. I did like what I saw from him once Granato took over. I just hope he continues to improve.

If the article wasn't so long I coulda screen shot most of it. I got a deal through The Athletic where I only pay $1 a month for 6 months. I'll prolly cancel when it runs out in August, lol.

[Cityo'Rasmii]

Thanks for the cliff notes, Claude!

[Darryl Shannon's +/-]

7 hours ago, Doohickie said:

Let's not oversell it. If he buys in I will be happy. 

I don't think he was mailing it in the last 2 years.  I just think he's shot.

I think any and all possibilities to get his corpse off this roster need to be looked into.  An expansion draft and a team with no cap hits as of yet - would it take next year's first to be rid of this?  

Or swapping picks plus maybe Johnson?  I don't see how we can be successful with a replacement level player making 9m for the next 6 years.

[FogBat]

On 7/14/2021 at 10:26 AM, LGR4GM said:

Literally no one. Surprised Skinner said yes. 

I'm pleasantly surprised by this move. I definitely did not see this coming.

[rakish]

ok, I'll bite

I often find looking through the lens of The Godfather's family relations helpful in explaining management decisions. One of Vito's weaknesses as a manager is his treatment of non-family. Carlo marries his daughter to open the film, which means the storyteller views this as 'where this story begins'. Carlo is never treated as core, Vito doesn't treat his daughter as core, let alone her husband.  It comes as no surprise that Carlo doesn't buy-in to the Corleone family.

The GM of the BS is married to Jeff Skinner, he needs Skinner to buy-in. Skinner needs to be treated as core, because if he's not treated as core, he will not believe, and he needs to believe. If Adams has a deal in place to get rid of Skinner, which I doubt, then woohoo, but if not, asking him to waive his NMC is analogous to Vito not bringing Carlo into the family. This board yammers endlessly about culture and buy-in, but you all seem unwilling to pay the price of creating that culture. And yeah, I get there is a non-zero difference in value between your 8th available player and your 9th, but Skinner's got to believe.

[Thorny]

6 minutes ago, rakish said:

ok, I'll bite

I often find looking through the lens of The Godfather's family relations helpful in explaining management decisions. One of Vito's weaknesses as a manager is his treatment of non-family. Carlo marries his daughter to open the film, which means the storyteller views this as 'where this story begins'. Carlo is never treated as core, Vito doesn't treat his daughter as core, let alone her husband.  It comes as no surprise that Carlo doesn't buy-in to the Corleone family.

The GM of the BS is married to Jeff Skinner, he needs Skinner to buy-in. Skinner needs to be treated as core, because if he's not treated as core, he will not believe, and he needs to believe. If Adams has a deal in place to get rid of Skinner, which I doubt, then woohoo, but if not, asking him to waive his NMC is analogous to Vito not bringing Carlo into the family. This board yammers endlessly about culture and buy-in, but you all seem unwilling to pay the price of creating that culture. And yeah, I get there is a non-zero difference in value between your 8th available player and your 9th, but Skinner's got to believe.

Oh yes.

It's like the franchise and the fans realize the Sabres aren't actually capable of instilling it in current players and coaxing out buy-in, that the players here have already "seen behind the curtain", and the answer is always to trash heap what we can and start fresh with the "blinding light" (Adams' words) of naive youth. 

Maybe it will all work out, but I don't know that showing themselves to be incapable of actively addressing issues in any way other than baby/bath water rebuilds every few years bodes well for addressing future cultural issues when they inevitably arise. 

[Doohickie]

12 hours ago, Darryl Shannon's +/- said:

I don't think he was mailing it in the last 2 years.  I just think he's shot.

I think he slumped at the end of the 40 goal season and RFK's coaching did nothing to pull him out of it. I further think Donny's focus on the youth last year didn't help him either. I'm cautiously optimistic that DG will put Skinner in positions to succeed and he will respond.

[DarthEbriate]

2 hours ago, Doohickie said:

I think he slumped at the end of the 40 goal season and RFK's coaching did nothing to pull him out of it. I further think Donny's focus on the youth last year didn't help him either. I'm cautiously optimistic that DG will put Skinner in positions to succeed and he will respond.

Agreed, but I must also point out that when we were down 4 goalies to injury, late in the season and needing a 2nd intermission shakeup to earn a victory over the Islanders: the line shakeup moved Skinner away from #1 Reino, down past AMT, down past Sheahen-R2-Cozens... to the 4th line. Needing goals, Skinner was skating with Eakin-Caggiula. Reinhart collected an assist on the game-tying goal by Asplund, the GWG, and the insurance goal.

[Doohickie]

17 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

Agreed, but I must also point out that when we were down 4 goalies to injury, late in the season and needing a 2nd intermission shakeup to earn a victory over the Islanders: the line shakeup moved Skinner away from #1 Reino, down past AMT, down past Sheahen-R2-Cozens... to the 4th line. Needing goals, Skinner was skating with Eakin-Caggiula. Reinhart collected an assist on the game-tying goal by Asplund, the GWG, and the insurance goal.

Anecdotal, small sample size.

[PerreaultForever]

I was really surprised to read in the Sullivan piece that Skinner holds the current record for number of NHL games played without making the playoffs (773). I had assumed he'd been in there with Carolina but thinking about it, ya, I guess that was before they got good. 

Risto (542) Reinhart (454) and even Eichel (375) what a sad state of affairs when you stop to think about it (which I try not to). 

[Huckleberry]

On 7/16/2021 at 3:18 AM, Darryl Shannon's +/- said:

I don't think he was mailing it in the last 2 years.  I just think he's shot.

 

Far from it, This year he rang the post a lot first 20 games.    He just couldn't get it in and it rocked his confidence maybe.   Also RK really burried him on the 4th line.

He has speed, he can score goals still and basically just put him on the first two lines already.    I think he would fit with cozens and maybe a RW that can go in and create space for them.

[ubkev]

21 hours ago, rakish said:

ok, I'll bite

I often find looking through the lens of The Godfather's family relations helpful in explaining management decisions. One of Vito's weaknesses as a manager is his treatment of non-family. Carlo marries his daughter to open the film, which means the storyteller views this as 'where this story begins'. Carlo is never treated as core, Vito doesn't treat his daughter as core, let alone her husband.  It comes as no surprise that Carlo doesn't buy-in to the Corleone family.

The GM of the BS is married to Jeff Skinner, he needs Skinner to buy-in. Skinner needs to be treated as core, because if he's not treated as core, he will not believe, and he needs to believe. If Adams has a deal in place to get rid of Skinner, which I doubt, then woohoo, but if not, asking him to waive his NMC is analogous to Vito not bringing Carlo into the family. This board yammers endlessly about culture and buy-in, but you all seem unwilling to pay the price of creating that culture. And yeah, I get there is a non-zero difference in value between your 8th available player and your 9th, but Skinner's got to believe.

The Don didn't treat Carlo as a part of the family because he didn't approve of his daughter marrying him. He always believed him to be of low character. Plus he was half Northern Italian, and he was a hand laborer from Nevada. He was given a small sports book and he ran it pretty poorly. Carlo sucked.

[rakish]

8 minutes ago, ubkev said:

The Don didn't treat Carlo as a part of the family because he didn't approve of his daughter marrying him. He always believed him to be of low character. Plus he was half Northern Italian, and he was a hand laborer from Nevada. He was given a small sports book and he ran it pretty poorly. Carlo sucked.

In my imaginary dinner with Ralph Kreuger, he explains that Jeff Skinner sucks, he's a hand laborer from Nevada, and OMG, half Northern Italian. That's RK's weakness as a manager, not his strength, he's out of a job partially because Jeff Skinner didn't score 45 goals this year. Anybody can pee on Jeff Skinner as coach, and Jeff will score 3 goal for you. It doesn't make you right even if Jeff's a hand laborer from Nevada. The competent manager, like Teddy, will get Skinner to score, because he's able to motivate him.

I agree with you that that is the Don's view of the world, and the fillmakers are telling you that this vision of the world leads to your daughter's husband going to the Tatanias because the Don never treated him as family. You can say Carlo sucked, and be sitting home like Krueger, because it's not important that you are right about Jeff Skinner, it's important that Jeff Skinner scores 45 goals for you. The Don needed to have Carlo believe he was part of the core. Kreuger needed to have Skinner believe he was part of the core. Asking Jeff to waive is exactly like peeing on Carlo, it's really bad management.

[Der Jaeger]

Skinner reminds me of Geoff Sanderson in a way.  Sanderson played an offensive, transition heavy, shoot first game.  He was at his best with Andrew Cassels, a center who was pass first and also played defense.

Without a center line Cassels, Sanderson wasn’t that effective.  Lots of effort, but wasn’t great for flow among the five on the ice.  
 

Skinner plays a more edgy game, but he’s similar in that he’s shoot first, doesn’t help game flow, and is at his best in transition and offensively.  
 

I’d seriously look into acquiring a player like Wennberg.  He’s got lots of flaws, but if he can be had for a reasonable price, he seems like the pass first, defense conscious center who might get Skinner going.

[ubkev]

1 hour ago, rakish said:

In my imaginary dinner with Ralph Kreuger, he explains that Jeff Skinner sucks, he's a hand laborer from Nevada, and OMG, half Northern Italian. That's RK's weakness as a manager, not his strength, he's out of a job partially because Jeff Skinner didn't score 45 goals this year. Anybody can pee on Jeff Skinner as coach, and Jeff will score 3 goal for you. It doesn't make you right even if Jeff's a hand laborer from Nevada. The competent manager, like Teddy, will get Skinner to score, because he's able to motivate him.

I agree with you that that is the Don's view of the world, and the fillmakers are telling you that this vision of the world leads to your daughter's husband going to the Tatanias because the Don never treated him as family. You can say Carlo sucked, and be sitting home like Krueger, because it's not important that you are right about Jeff Skinner, it's important that Jeff Skinner scores 45 goals for you. The Don needed to have Carlo believe he was part of the core. Kreuger needed to have Skinner believe he was part of the core. Asking Jeff to waive is exactly like peeing on Carlo, it's really bad management.

I just don't see a parallel between Skinner and Carlo. Carlo always sucked. He never had a 40 goal season, not even when he was smacking Connie around, feeding Barzini all those assists and setting up Sonny. 

Skinner might have been Paulie. Once a promising, up and coming soldier turned stronz. Caught 2 in the back of the head...leave the gun, take the cannoli. I'm not even sure I like that one, because Skinner never sold out the sabres. 

Ah well, back to work. Maybe I'll think on it.