This group of 11 skaters scored on about 7.5 percent of shots over the last few seasons in Buffalo. When those players were receiving passes from Eichel, their shooting percentages moved to 9.3 percent – nearly two additional goals for every 100 shots generated at even strength. And when they moved around the lineup, specifically away from Eichel, they scored on 6.9 percent of shots.

Another way of saying this: Eichel added about 2.5 goals per 100 shots for Sabres wingers over the last few seasons.

The important piece of context here is, absent maybe Evander Kane and Ryan O’Reilly in limited minutes, most of these skaters were probably playing higher in the lineup than they would in most any other organization. Buffalo’s talent void left the Sabres high and dry for shooting talent, which meant that Eichel frequently had to put second- and third-line type wingers into scoring situations against high-caliber competition. That’s not an easy ask for anyone.

And that’s where Skinner should have a pretty sizable impact. Skinner has a reputation as a higher-volume, lower-percentage type of shooter, but that isn’t really borne out in the numbers. In the last three years, he hasn’t played with a center of Eichel’s talent, yet has consistently shot around 10 percent from teammate to teammate.