NHL notebook: Sabres to buy out F Jeff Skinner's contract

The Buffalo Sabres will buy out the final three seasons of the contract of forward Jeff Skinner, making him a free agent on Monday.

Skinner signed an eight-year, $72 million extension with Buffalo on June 7, 2019. He is still owed $22 million.

In the recently completed season, Skinner had 46 points (24 goals, 22 assists) in 74 games. With the Sabres, Skinner, 32, appeared in 427 games with 291 points (153 goals, 138 assists).

The Carolina Hurricanes selected Skinner seventh overall in the 2010 NHL Draft and the two-time All-Star played in 1,006 regular-season games between the two teams without a playoff appearance.

--Defenseman Adam Boqvist will be placed on waivers by the Columbus Blue Jackets, The Athletic reported. If he clears waivers, the team will buy him out at a cost of about $533,000 in each of the next two seasons. He was scheduled to earn $3.2 million in 2024-25.

He was selected by the Chicago Blackhawks with the No. 8 overall pick of the 2018 NHL Draft. Boqvist, 23, appeared in 35 games last season for the Jackets, tallying 10 points (one goal, nine assists).

In 209 career games with the Blackhawks (2019-21) and Blue Jackets, he has 85 points (23 goals, 62 assists) and a minus-41 rating.

--The Winnipeg Jets are buying out defenseman Nate Schmidt, the Daily Faceoff reported.

The Jets acquired Schmidt in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks on July 27, 2021, and inherited the balance of a six-year, $35.7 million contract he signed with the Vegas Golden Knights on Oct. 25, 2018. He was due to earn $4.85 million in 2024-25.

Schmidt, 32, played in 63 games last season -- his 11th in the NHL -- and recorded 14 points (two goals, 12 assists).

--The Edmonton Oilers placed goaltender Jack Campbell on unconditional waivers for purposes of a buyout, the team said.

The Oilers signed Campbell to a five-year, $25 million contract on July 13, 2022. That followed his 2021-22 season with the Toronto Maple Leafs in which he played in a career-high 49 games and posted a .914 save percentage, 2.64 goals-against average and 31-9-6 record.

Campbell, 32, never achieved such numbers in Edmonton, appearing in 41 games (39 starts) with a 22-13-4 mark, .886 save percentage and 3.53 GAA. Stuart Skinner emerged as the No. 1 goalie in Edmonton and Campbell spent most of the 2023-24 season with Bakersfield of the American Hockey League.

--Field Level Media