The Buffalo Sabres have bought out the final three years of Jeff Skinner’s contract, the GM Kevyn Adams announced Saturday.

The move makes the veteran forward a free agent.

The buyout pays Skinner two-thirds of his remaining salary over the next six seasons. He was slated to have an annual salary of $9 million for the next three years.

After accounting for the buyout, the Sabres will have more than $30 million in salary cap space to make additions as they try to snap the longest playoff drought in the NHL, which stands at 13 seasons.

Here is how the buyout would work, according to CapFriendly:

Skinner, 32, is coming off a down season in which he scored 24 goals and 46 points in 74 games. He has 357 goals and 670 points in 1,006 NHL games.

The Buffalo Sabres made a surprising move recently by opting to buy out the remaining portion of Jeff Skinner’s contract. This decision comes after Skinner’s disappointing performance over the past few seasons, failing to live up to the expectations that came with his lucrative contract.

Skinner, who signed an eight-year, $72 million contract with the Sabres in 2019, has struggled to find his scoring touch and make a significant impact on the ice. In the 2020-2021 season, he recorded just 14 points in 53 games, a far cry from his career-high 40 goals in the previous season.

The buyout of Skinner’s contract will save the Sabres some much-needed cap space, allowing them to potentially make other roster moves and improve their team for the upcoming season. While it may come as a disappointment to fans who had high hopes for Skinner when he first signed with the team, it is ultimately a necessary decision for the organization to move forward and build a competitive team.

Skinner’s future in the NHL remains uncertain, as he will now become an unrestricted free agent and have the opportunity to sign with another team. It will be interesting to see where he lands and if he can revive his career and prove his worth once again.

Overall, the Buffalo Sabres’ decision to buy out Jeff Skinner’s contract is a bold move that reflects their commitment to making changes and improving their team. Only time will tell if this decision pays off in the long run.