Sabres Need to Trade Jeff Skinner to Maximize His Value

Skinner has been a reliable goal-scoring threat since the days of Ralph Krueger ended . Playing under Don Granato gave him a new confidence and a new life that has allowed him to flourish as the goal scorer he is. With this, he is currently at the highest trade value that he has been sitting at in years, and it is time to capitalize on that value so the Sabres can allow their young roster players a chance to move up, and their minor/junior league prospects to get a shot at playing in the NHL. If Kevyn Adams isn’t going to trade any of the prospects, then moving someone like Skinner would give a perfect opportunity for someone like Jiri Kulich to step in and show he can be an NHL scoring player.

Skinner’s Current Value

Making a trade that involves moving Skinner could end up being kind of tricky. He currently carries a $9-million cap hit until his contract expires in July 2027. On top of that, he has a full No Movement Clause (NMC) in his contract, which means he would need to waive that to allow a trade to go through. Getting the best pieces back in exchange for Skinner would not be a likely scenario, but they could still get enough value out of him, that another team may be willing to take on part of his contract. In the most realistic trade scenario, Skinner would only really waive his NMC to go to a playoff team, and the only way that a playoff team would take on three more years of his contract is if the Sabres retained part of his salary.

The Sabres have the cap space to retain the maximum of half of his $9-million hit, and this would lead to a much more positive return for him. The Sabres would not be moving him with the intent of getting a similar player to replace him but rather would be looking to gain additional draft capital to use or move, or even a roster player that would provide some additional depth and leadership to this young group short term. With his value still riding high from an 82-point season in 2022-23 and his current 30+ goal pace for 2023-24, there is bound to be a number of playoff teams that would take Skinner into their lineup for a reasonable $4.5 million.

Who Replaces Skinner?

The simplest answer to this question is budding star Peterka. He has been on an absolute roll this season and even leads the team in goals with 18. After a solid rookie year in 2022-23, he has essentially doubled his production numbers during this season. In his rookie season, he posted 12 goals, 20 assists, 32 points, a minus-15, 125 shots, and a 9.6 shooting percentage in 77 games. In 49 games this season, he has posted 18 goals, 16 assists, 34 points, a plus-6, 133 shots, and a 13.5 shooting percentage. If he continues this pace, he will be a 30+ goal scorer and a 60+ point player. Considering he is 10 years younger than Skinner, he is the perfect replacement for him and will likely come in cheaper once his next contract gets signed.

The second option would be the Sabres’ top current prospect, Kulich. He has had an incredible year down with the Rochester Americans, as well as in the World Juniors, and he deserves a chance to show what he can do at the NHL level. He has 16 goals and 24 points in 30 games so far, and he has a talent that the Sabres could use both now, and next season. His ability to be in an open shooting position and finish opportunities in a multitude of ways would help the Sabres scoring as a whole, but he can produce on the power play that would be very attractive to the Sabres.

Moving Skinner at the Right Time Is Key

The Sabres do not have to move Skinner right now, or even by the trade deadline, but if they find themselves out of a playoff position before the deadline comes, that would be the best time to move him. Playoff teams are very willing to spend draft capital for top-level talents like Skinner at the deadline, so moving him on that day would be the most optimal in that scenario. If the Sabres have miraculously fought their way back into playoff contention, keeping Skinner around for the playoffs would be better for them, and then they could move him at the draft when teams may have more cap flexibility.

Moving on from Skinner is not a sign of another rebuild, but rather it is just a sign of progress. Moving on from a 31-year-old forward to make room for young talent that is replacing him for cheaper is always the best way to go. While it would be a shame to see Skinner go without seeing a single playoff run in Buffalo, he deserves a chance to play in that environment, and the Sabres deserve to use the money saved and the roster space made by trading him. Right now, the Sabres need all the help they can get, but if moving a player like Skinner gives them more opportunities to grow and build, I am all for it.