Eklund is as competent insider as Chiarelli is great GM.

As true as it is funny!

Well, Eklund might be an Internet attention getter, but he might be correct. Skinner hasn't resigned with the Sabres, Sabres are out of the playoffs. Why wouldn't the Sabres trade an expiring UFA?

Eklund sharpens his darts and throws them to see what sticks lol

As thankful Im as you are entertained!

He hasn't signed because he needs to wait til after the trade deadline to sign an 8 year contract.

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Its risky if they plan on keeping him. Biron came up with a good example: the movie "Indecent Proposal". You wouldnt want to risk your best goal scorer (in some years) talking with the GM of a team in the playoffs, while playing meaningful games in April and May for the first time in his career. It would be interesting to work out something with Toronto, without taking salary back so they cant resign him in the offseason, but even then hes fair game to the rest of the other 29 teams

I've heard multiple times that he can't sign an 8 year max length until after the trade deadline.

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I always thought the Skinner trade was "strange". Sabres were bound to finish out of the playoffs this season, giving up some good futures for a one year rental. Admitting Skinner has helped the Sabres "feel good" about themselves especially in the first part of the season when Skinner and the Sabres played well. Gotta think the Sabres will resign Skinner since he is "their" guy and traded for him. But Skinner long term isn't without risk. Maybe his first 2/3rds of the season was his best performance. Will teams pay for that? For Skinner and his team and new contract, I wish Skinner the best success.

Wojme you are correct. I had heard...incorrectly, the opposite. Thanks for the setting me, and maybe others straight. I guess the rule was in place so teams would not trade their UFA (think Isles and JT) and these teams would be the only ones that could offer eight years.

Im supppper hesitant to sign him if hes not taking a "hometown discount" (close enough). i already hate signing UFAs, especially ones with unnaturally inflated numbers in contract years. But i understand that if Botterill trades him, and doesnt get a noteable return, this fanbase will implode. So Botterill has to hit a homerun moving him, probably overpay him to keep him - which bites you down the road, or let him walk for nothing so that Skinner looks more like the bad guy.

Skinner seems to really want to be in BUF so if I were the GM I would go to him and say, wave your NTC to here, we will gain good assets and then extend you in the summer at X dollars. If Skinner truly wants to be there, I think he would be interested in adding assets to the team he actually wants to be a part of since this season is lost. Plus he gets a playoff run.

Like your point above. Certainly out of the playoff teams should try to maximize their returns for a upcoming UFA. But any team in the playoffs shouldn't weaken their team by trading upcoming UFAs. I know the Isles got criticized for NOT trading Tavares. But at the TDL, they were just 2 points out of the playoffs. Opinions vary, but I thought the Isles owed to their fans and the other 22 players on the team to make a playoff run with Tavares. And the fact that he left, well the Isles had set aside 11m for him. Isles management just has to spend that 11m on other players and spend it wisely.