Sabres' Skinner tells AP he welcomes higher 期待s
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - 今後 Jeff Skinner is both 感謝する and 動機づけるd by the new 契約 he 調印するd to remain a member of the Buffalo Sabres for the next eight seasons.
He's impressed by the 約束 the Sabres showed by making him the team's second highest-paid player behind captain Jack Eichel. And Skinner welcomes the raised 期待s that come with his $72 million 契約.
"明白に, I know there's 期待s and what my 職業 is, and my 職業 is to produce," Skinner told The Associated 圧力（をかける） by phone Saturday in his first interview a day after reaching the 取引，協定.
"But I think that any 競技者 has that pride and wants to work and help the team 勝利，勝つ," he 追加するd. "I'm excited to be there and be a piece of the puzzle."
Skinner will be relied on to be a major piece after 得点する／非難する／２０ing a career-best and team-主要な 40 goals in his first season in Buffalo. The 27-year-old spent his first eight seasons in Carolina before 存在 貿易（する）d to the Sabres last August.
The ハリケーンs made the 貿易（する） believing they weren't going to afford Skinner's asking price once his 契約 満了する／死ぬd after the season.
FILE - In this Feb. 10, 2019, とじ込み／提出する photo, Buffalo Sabres 中心 Jeff Skinner (53) skates with the puck away from Chicago Blackhawks 左翼 Brandon Saad (20) during the first period of an NHL ホッケー game in Buffalo, N.Y. The Sabres have re-調印するd 主要な scorer Skinner to an eight year, $72 million 契約. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus, とじ込み／提出する)
In Buffalo, the 再構築するing Sabres have a 悲惨な need for proven goal-scorers, and weren't going to pass up an 適切な時期 to 安全な・保証する the four-time 30-goal-scorer before he was 適格の to become a 解放する／自由な スパイ／執行官 on July 1.
"One of the questions is going to be about giving an eight-year 契約 to a 27-year-old, but there's always going to be 危険s," Botterill said Saturday.
"Our biggest 焦点（を合わせる） I think 長，率いるing into 解放する／自由な 機関 was getting Jeff 調印するd, and we've 遂行するd that," he 追加するd. "We want to 追加する to our group and not have to go out there and try to 取って代わる what Jeff Skinner can bring."
Skinner became Buffalo's first player to 得点する／非難する／２０ 40 goals since Thomas Vanek in 2008-09. And Skinner, Eichel and 今後 Sam Reinhart accounted for 90 of Buffalo's 226 goals last season.
Botterill's 焦点（を合わせる） now is developing the young talent and 追加するing players either through 貿易（する）s or 解放する／自由な 機関 this offseason to 供給する more 第２位 得点する／非難する／２０ing.
"We didn't make the プレーオフs. We have to continue to 改善する in a lot of different facets," Botterill 追加するd. "If we can find a way to 追加する a little bit more depth instead of relying so much on Jeff, Sam and Jack, I think that's certainly one of our goals."
Skinner has 徹底的に捜す ined for 244 goals, 198 補助装置s and 442 points in 661 career games. Since entering the league, the NHL's 2011 新人 of the year is tied for 13th in total goals 得点する／非難する／２０d and 階級s fifth with 191 goals 得点する／非難する／２０d at even strength.
The Sabres are in the 中央 of an eight-season プレーオフ 干ばつ - the NHL's longest active streak. And they're coming off a season in which they finished 27th 全体にわたる and joined the 2016-17 Philadelphia Flyers in becoming the second of 50 NHL teams to 行方不明になる the プレーオフs in the same season they won at least 10 straight games.
The Sabres followed their 10-game winning streak in November by の近くにing the season winning 16 of their final 57 games.
Skinner put aside 行方不明の the プレーオフs for the ninth time in his career by 説 he's impressed by the young talent Buffalo already has 組み立てる／集結するd.
"I think they're going to be 終始一貫して 競争の激しい for a long time, and that's probably the No. 1 thing," he said.
Though he enjoyed his year in Buffalo, Skinner had no preconceptions as to whether he would re-調印する with the team after the season ended . He spent time 協議するing with his family and friends, and 徐々に （機の）カム to the 結論 Buffalo was the best fit.
"You put a 肯定的な step after a 肯定的な step together and at the end you sort of 結局最後にはーなる where you are," Skinner said. "And fortunately for me, I'm very happy with how it ended up."
He was also enthused に引き続いて a 非常に長い 雑談（する） by phone with newly 雇うd coach Ralph Krueger , who takes over after Phil Housley was 解雇する／砲火／射撃d in April.
"I think it helped. It was definitely a 肯定的な," Skinner said, 公式文書，認めるing he also spoke to 非常に／多数の players and coaches who have worked with Krueger. "What stood out was his excitement and enthusiasm to be in Buffalo. ... I think it was really 本物の."
The 59-year-old coach is considered an innovator in having coached both in the NHL and 国祭的な, 含むing 主要な Team Europe to a second-place finish at the 2016 World Cup of ホッケー.
In retrospec t, Skinner said he was surprised by how smooth his 移行 went after 存在 貿易（する）d for the first time in his career. What caught him by surprise is how 熱烈な the Sabres fan base is, something Skinner never realized during the ハリケーンs' visits to Buffalo.
Though he 持つ／拘留するs no grudges toward Carolina for 貿易（する）ing him, Skinner knows he's now on a team 投資するd in his long-称する，呼ぶ／期間／用語 未来.
"I'm very fortunate Buffalo gave me the 適切な時期 it did, and I'm 感謝する they continue to show the belief in me," Skinner said. "It's a good feeling to play for an organization like that."
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