The Buffalo Sabers officially ended their association with Jeff Skinner, the team’s highest-paid forward, by buying out the final three years of his contract on Sunday.
The move came a day after Sabers general manager Kevyn Adams informed reporters he was preparing documents for the buyout.
Skinner, 32, became the third Sabers player to have his contract bought out during the current streak of 13 seasons without making the playoffs, which is an NHL record. The other two are Ville Leino and Christian Ehrhoff.
The buyout comes as the Sabres are once again in transition, with Lindy Ruff returning for a second stint as head coach. The Buffalo squad took the 12e Eastern Conference rank during the last campaign.
The buyout also showed Adams’ inability to find a deal partner, while having his hands tied because Skinner held a no-movement clause.
Skinner spent six years in Buffalo, where he exhibited inconsistent production. He scored 40 goals in his first season after being acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes, prompting the Sabers to sign him to an eight-year contract worth US$72 million.
In his NHL career, Skinner played in 1,006 games, scoring 357 goals and 670 points. He never appeared in a playoff game in 14 seasons.