On Tuesday evening, Jeff Skinner of the Buffalo Sabres was celebrated for reaching his 1,000th NHL game milestone. Having started his career with the Carolina Hurricanes on October 7, 2010, he joins the ranks of notable players such as Anze Kopitar, Patrick Marleau, and Dale Hawerchuk as the seventh-fastest player in league history to achieve this feat.
At the age of 31, Skinner joins the ranks of 393 players who have skated in 1,000 NHL games, making him the latest addition to this prestigious group following Jordan Eberle, Brad Marchand, James van Riemsdyk, John Carlson, and Marc-Andre Fleury, all of whom reached this milestone earlier in the season.
Congratulations on 1000 games, @JeffSkinner! pic.twitter.com/MSe6GZDOOm
— The Hockey Writers (@TheHockeyWriter) April 2, 2024
Since making his debut as an 18-year-old in the 2010-11 season, Skinner has had four seasons where he played the full 82 games, showcasing his durability. His career-best performance came in the 2022-23 season when he achieved 82 points, tallying 35 goals and 47 assists. Since being traded to the Sabres in 2018, he has been a consistent contributor, amassing 290 points with 153 goals and 137 assists, including three instances of scoring three goals in a single game (hat tricks).
Skinner’s impact extended beyond his on-ice performance during his initial season with the Sabres, where he netted an impressive 40 goals. He played a pivotal role in the team’s rebuilding efforts, providing mentorship to promising talents like Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power, both selected as first overall picks.
Selected as the seventh overall pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, Skinner spent eight seasons with the Hurricanes, during which he achieved three seasons with 30 or more goals. He concluded his tenure with Carolina with 379 points in 579 games, boasting 204 goals and 175 assists. His remarkable debut season earned him the Calder Trophy as the Rookie of the Year, and he also secured a spot on the All-Rookie Team.
