It’s not a secret that the Florida Panthers are interested in a top six winger this offseason.
Vincent Trocheck almost had as many different line combinations as he did goals last year, even with the late season line adjustment that finally settled those changes down for a time.
Scoring depth was going to be a key area at the bottom of the top of the lineup for the Panthers to address, and it seems that one of their options may now be on the table.
From Elliotte Friedman’s recent 31 Thoughts column:
"“The Kings have been linked to Jeff Skinner. Enter Florida in that market. The Panthers, who narrowly missed the playoffs after a late-season charge, are looking to add.”"
This news shouldn’t be a surprise. Skinner is reportedly available, and the free agent market isn’t exactly filled with quality scoring on the wings. Depending on the price, Skinner could absolutely be the piece that gives Florida one of the best top six forward groups in the league, which would put them over the top.
Skinner has one more season left on his contract with $5.725M annually (AAV). At 26, he’s due for a raise, and whichever team acquires him is in with him for the long haul. Last season, he only put up 49 points, which is down from the 63 he recorded the year before.
Jeff has always been a good puck possession player, as were most in Carolina, but he was in the upper echelon and last year held a RelCF% of 1.6, which isn’t bad for a player who plays on a deficient team, though his zone starts were over 65% in the offensive zone.
He’s clearly never reached the promise his amazing rookie season provided seven years ago, and it’s clear a change of scenery would do the team and player well. While he might not figure immediately on the top line, he’d be a shoe-in to play with Huberdeau and Trocheck if the great 27-16-63 troika from the end of last season isn’t broken up.
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Both Trocheck and Huberdeau (as well as Barkov and Dadonov) are all fantastic playmakers and good finishers, whereas Skinner can be a lethal finisher and a good playmaker. He’s also only 26, so if he hasn’t left his prime yet, he may have a few years left at peak production, especially if he’s on a team with more offensive firepower, which the Cats certainly have.
Compared to Florida’s other major top six target (Max Pacioretty), Skinner is younger, more dynamic and though more expensive this year, might not command as much considering what Pacioretty has been able to do more consistently in Montreal in terms of scoring.
From a hockey perspective, Skinner would be a fantastic fit in Florida’s top six, but the trouble may be in acquiring him. Jeff has a full NMC (no-move clause), and he might not waive it to come down to Florida. If he would, it’s obvious the Hurricanes would demand a lot for him.
Dale Tallon refused to trade Henrik Borgstrom at the trade deadline last year for players not as valuable as Skinner, so it’s likely he won’t go in on any deal, but plenty of other pieces could, including perhaps Aleksi Heponiemi, the Panthers’ first round pick and some other assets too.
Tallon is sitting on more assets than he did at the start of last season, but doesn’t quite have the top end assets that other teams interested in Skinner might, meaning they could get outbid. And there’s the consideration of what contract to give him, considering he’d be the second highest paid forward on the Panthers right now and is due for a raise. Florida isn’t exactly flush with cash either.
On paper, Skinner could be the answer to exactly what the Panthers biggest concern may be. Acquiring him is going to be easier said than done, but from all indications, Dale Tallon is eager to reward his group for their stretch run and give them a chance to compete with the best in the East. Skinner would be the exact kind of acquisition that does that, though cost is, as with every player of Skinner’s ilk, a concern.
Next: Jared McCann’s 2017-18 Season Recap
If Florida got their man, there would be no doubt that they have one of the best top sixes in the entire league, and one that could form the backbone of a contender. Whether their man is Jeff Skinner, and they have what it takes to get him, could show quite a lot as to what the Panthers intend to do to take the needed steps to be a consistent contender at long last.