Will the Sabres' Record-Setting Jeff Skinner Ever Play in an NHL Playoff Game?

The Buffalo Sabres' highly paid veteran will reach 1,000 NHL games without ever making the playoffs, but Ken Campbell says that doesn't mean he hasn't performed in crunch time.

Ron Hainsey went 907 NHL games without playing a single playoff game. Jay Bouwmeester endured 764 before he stepped on the ice for a post-season contest. 

Both veteran defensemen had their patience rewarded, however, with Stanley Cups, with Hainsey winning his as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2017 and Bouwmeester finally lifting the trophy with the St. Louis Blues two years later.

Will Jeff Skinner ever follow in their footsteps? 

Well, he's got both their non-playoff records blown out of the water. 

When he scored a hat trick to help the Buffalo Sabres to a 6-3 win over the Seattle Kraken Monday night, it marked his 993rd career NHL game without ever having played in the playoffs. 

On April 2 against Washington, barring any absences between now and then, he'll become the first player in NHL history to play 1,000 games in the regular season without appearing in a playoff game.

As evidenced by his hat trick, Jeff Skinner really, really wants to play in the playoffs. The Sabres have missed the post-season 12 straight years, and only an incredible run will save them from extending it to 13 this season. Yes, they're five points out of the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, but they'd have to jump over three teams in terms of points percentage to make it. It's doubtful.

The good news (?) is that Skinner has three years remaining on the eight-year, $72-million contract he signed with the Sabres in 2019. So there's still time.

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