BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Fans of the Buffalo Sabres will have to get used to seeing two longtime players in new uniforms next season. Forwards Jeff Skinner and Zemgus Girgensons have officially signed with new teams.
Skinner is heading west on a one-year deal with the Edmonton Oilers worth $3 million. The forward played six seasons in Buffalo before the team opted to buy out the remainder of his contract on June 29. The 32-year-old was Buffalo's highest-paid forward. He joins a team that was one win away from winning the Stanley Cup this past season.
Why buying out Jeff Skinner made sense for the Buffalo Sabres.
His former teammate, Zemgus Girgensons, is heading south, signing a three-year agreement with the Tampa Bay Lightning worth an AAV of $850,000. Girgensons has spent the past decade with Buffalo, arriving as the 14th overall pick in the 2012 NHL Draft. He served as an alternate captain for the past three seasons and has played in 688 games in his career.
Can the Buffalo Sabres pull off big moves to improve this offseason?
