As the National Hockey League enters the second month of free agency, a number of former Buffalo Sabres still remain unsigned. At this point of the offseason, players who have not latched on with an NHL club might consider playing in Europe, or taking a short-term deal or professional tryout to earn a one-year deal.
The decline and fall of Skinner over the last three years puts into focus how bad a decision it was for former Sabres GM Jason Botterill to sign the diminutive winger to an eight-year, $72 million contract in 2019 after scoring 40 goals. A coaching change to Ralph Krueger was not a good fit for the offensive winger, who was relegated to a bottom-six role and scored only 21 goals in 112 games the next two years, but his goal scoring returned under Don Granato, with 33 and 35-goal campaigns in 2022 and 2023.
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After dropping to 24 goals in 2023-24, the Sabres bought out the final three years of his contract; something that has resulted in over $6 million in dead cap space this season. The 33-year-old hooked up with Edmonton in 2025, and played in his first postseason games during the Oilers run to a Cup Final loss.
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Last season, he signed a one-year deal with San Jose, but after suffering a lower-body injury in mid-November and returning three weeks later, he was used sporadically and was healthy scratched and placed on waivers for the purpose of terminating his contract in mid-February. Surprisingly the veteran forward was not signed by a team before the trade deadline.
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Outlook: The fact that there seemed to be no interest or even an inkling of interest after the contract termination is a sign that Skinner’s career is over. Skinner depended on superior edgework and skating ability to be a difference maker, but his effectiveness has declined dramatically as he has lost a step. A PTO is a possibility, but remote one.
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