Carolina Hurricanes trade grade: Jeff Skinner nets disappointing return

The Carolina Hurricanes traded Jeff Skinner to the Buffalo Sabres. However, they did not get an ideal return. 

In business, it’s wise to buy low and sell high. This is the case in the NHL too if you look at players as assets. Which, to be honest, is likely how owners view them. The Carolina Hurricanes traded one of their better assets on Thursday night in forward Jeff Skinner.

Even though he had just a year left on his contract, he was one of the Canes’ lone proven goal scorers. The Hurricanes did not get much for him, either. Despite trading him to a team with a fairly deep prospect pool and no fewer than two (likely three) 2019 first-round picks in the Buffalo Sabres, Carolina didn’t get one of their top prospects, nor did they even get a first-round pick.

Let’s take a quick look at the return.

This isn’t a horrible return, mind you. Especially if you consider Skinner had a no-movement clause and it sounds like he used it to his advantage. However, look at what the New York Rangers got from the Boston Bruins for a few months of Rick Nash. Skinner warranted a similar return.

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Now, let’s break down the return in two sections – the prospect (Cliff Pu) and the draft picks.

Cliff Pu

Recently, our prospects guru listed Pu as the sixth-best Sabres prospect. While others are not quite as high on the young forward as him, Cliff projects to be a regular NHL player. On paper, his 84 points in 65 regular season games (split between the London Knights and Kingston Frontenacs) looks great.

However, it’s worth noting Pu’s dominance was sort of expected. After all, it’s normal for 19-year-olds to produce in the OHL. So let’s compare his numbers to his peers. Here’s how Pu ranked among all players aged from 19 to 20 (minimum 30 games played). These stats are courtesy of Prospects Stats, which is a terrific resource.

• 29 goals – 15th
• 39 primary assists – second
• 68 primary points (first assists + goals) – fifth
• 1.05 primary points per game – eighth
• 1.29 points per game – seventh

As you can see, he was pretty good, but not stellar. Pu has the offense to be a regular NHL player. However, he isn’t going to replace what Skinner brought to the table – goal scoring. Finishing remains an issue for the Hurricanes. Carolina lost their most proven one and didn’t get a goal scorer back.

Maybe Pu can help someone become a better goal scorer. His passing is very good and he has above-average vision. Pu also has a knack for being in the right place at the right time, which suggests he has a good hockey IQ. There’s a lot to like about him, but if you’re not going to get a first-round pick for someone like Skinner, you’d better make sure you get a top prospect. Pu doesn’t qualify as one.

The Draft Picks

The Sabres’ 2019 second-round pick is a nice one to have. There’s a solid chance it will be rather high. But it likely won’t be so bad it’s basically a low first-round pick. The 2020 third-round pick and 2020 sixth-round picks could turn into something, but the odds are against that happening.

The Verdict

For whatever reason, the Hurricanes decided to get a less than optimal return for Skinner. Maybe the club’s finances played a part in this. Perhaps this was a “change the culture” trade. But what we can safely say is the Hurricanes absolutely did not want Skinner to be a part of the team. Not even until the trade deadline.

Skinner isn’t a flawless player. His shot suppression numbers are alarming. But what Skinner can do is score goals. And he did it while playing with guys like Derek Ryan. That has a ton of value and it suggests maybe Carolina didn’t realize how valuable Skinner was.

The Hurricanes appear to be very confident in their young players, which isn’t a bad thing. But competition is a good thing. Even if the Hurricanes knew they weren’t going to re-sign Skinner, setting a high price and waiting for someone to match it could have worked. Remember, the Colorado Avalanche took that risk and it paid off big time for them.

It’s hard to say why, but the Hurricanes weren’t willing to take that risk. This is why the return is unimpressive at best.

Trade Grade: D. Obviously, the no-movement clause hurt Skinner’s value. But why trade him now for a less than stellar return? Had the Hurricanes at least gotten a goal scorer or a first-round pick (even a low one), this trade makes a lot more sense.