Buffalo Sabres 'Initiated the Process' of Buying Out Jeff Skinner, GM Says

The Buffalo Sabres plan to buy out the remaining three seasons of Jeff Skinner's contract, which would make the 32-year-old a UFA one year removed from an 82-point campaign.

The Buffalo Sabres have initiated the process to buy out forward Jeff Skinner, GM Kevyn Adams told reporters Saturday.

Skinner had three years left on his eight-year deal worth $9 million per season, but he will instead become a UFA.

The buyout cost will last six seasons, with the Sabres saving $7,555,556 next season, $4,555,556 in 2025-26 and $2,555,556 in 2026-27, according to PuckPedia. After that, it will cost them $2,444,444 for each of the following three seasons, coming off the books in 2030.

The 32-year-old from Toronto scored 24 goals and 22 assists for 46 points in 74 games this past season. That said, he had 35 goals and 82 points in 79 games in 2022-23.

Skinner’s been with the Sabres for six seasons after the Carolina Hurricanes traded him in 2018. While he scored 40 goals in his first season with Buffalo, leading to that eight-year extension, he had 23 points in 59 games in 2019-20 and 14 points in 53 games in 2021.

All in all, Skinner has played 1,006 regular-season games, with 357 goals, 313 assists and 670 points. The seventh-overall pick in 2010 has not played in the playoffs as of yet.

The Sabres now have more than $29.37 million in cap space with 14 of 23 active roster spots filled, per PuckPedia. They have five pending UFAs, including longtime Sabre Zemgus Girgensons. They also have five RFAs, including goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, centers Peyton Krebs and newly acquired Beck Malenstyn, and defensemen Jacob Bryson and Henri Jokiharju.