The Buffalo Sabres and forward Jeff Skinner are closing in on an eight-year contract extension with an expected average annual value of $9 million, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie.
Skinner is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. A $9-million AAV would make him the sixth-highest-paid winger in the league.
| Highest-paid wingers | Cap hit | Year signed |
|---|---|---|
| Patrick Kane (CHI) | $10.5M | 2014 |
| Alex Ovechkin (WSH) | $9.54M | 2008 |
| Nikita Kucherov (TB) | $9.5M | 2018 |
| Jamie Benn (DAL) | $9.5M | 2016 |
| Mark Stone (VGK) | $9.5M | 2019 |
Buffalo traded prospect Cliff Pu, a second-round pick in 2019, a third-round pick in 2020, and a sixth-rounder in 2020 to acquire Skinner from the Carolina Hurricanes last summer. The 27-year-old went on to tally a career-high 40 goals in his first season with the Sabres.
Skinner ranks 10th in the NHL with 129 goals since the start of the 2015-16 season and has reached the 30-goal mark four times in his nine-year career. He and playmaking center Jack Eichel formed a dynamic one-two punch on Buffalo's top line this past season.
An eight-year extension would take the former Calder Trophy winner through his age-34 season.
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