Skinner's 13th season enough to make anyone smile

Jeff Skinner has a lot to smile about these days.

Not just because of his career-high, 82-point campaign he just wrapped up, or his critically acclaimed web series, "Between 2 Stalls." The latter has yet to be renewed for a second season, even if it was a smash hit.

"Maybe it's just a one season show, we don't want to overstay our welcome," Skinner said with a laugh.

There's little doubt Skinner's season was a box-office sensation, which should have everyone excited that he's locked in for four more seasons in a blue and gold sweater.

"I think there's still some room for improvement in my game," Skinner said.

Whatever level Skinner elevates his game to next season is anyone's guess. From a production standpoint, his numbers had flatlined until Don Granato arrived. The trust he's instilled in not just Skinner, but all of his players, allowed the collective to flourish this season.

"I think it's a really delicate balance when you have a young team to kind of instill confidence while keeping that accountability," Skinner said. "He sort of works in that gray area really well."

Skinner's 47 helpers were the most he's recorded in a single year by far. While he's always been known as a goal scorer, rounding out his game was a point of emphasis for Skinner this year.

"They finally started putting in my passes in," Skinner quipped.

Skinner has always had a way with words, even if he may seem a bit bashful in how he conveys them. The atmosphere in the Sabres dressing room has taken a 180-degree turn under the regime of general manager Kevyn Adams and Granato, allowing personalities like Skinner's to flourish.

"I think for us we've got a really good mix of guys, good personalities," Skinner said. "Obviously we have good hockey players, but I think the people are good quality people and I think that's what makes us tight as a team and it's going to improve us on the ice as well."

The Sabres saw a 16-point improvement in the standings from last season as the young core started to mature and players like Dylan Cozens, Rasmus Dahlin and Alex Tuch enjoyed career-years. Skinner feels they've only scratched the surface of their potential.

"It's really fun to see some of those guys take some big steps," Skinner said. "I think some guys are in sort of that time period in their careers and their lives where they can make big jumps in an offseason."

If the playoffs are to become an annual rite of passage in Buffalo like they hope, the work immediately gets started in the summer. Their trial by fire through the month of March only served as a taste for something bigger. The Sabres had to learn quickly how to win tight games down the stretch, a humbling lesson for the NHL's third-ranked offense that averaged 3.57 goals per game this season.

"For us to recognize that and execute on that was good to see," Skinner said. "I think anytime you play sort of high-pressure games it's a good experience. That's kind of what that stretch run bred for us."

If you ask Skinner, he isn't focused on the numbers. Success breeds competition and it's that daily drive that will propel both himself and the group to the next step.

"I think you just try to come to the rink and put your best effort for the day and hopefully results will come," Skinner said. "It's too long of a season, there's too many games to kind of start projecting numbers. For me at least that's how I've approached it over the course of my career."

If anything, Skinner feels even more reinvigorated having played a critical role in the Sabres' rapid rebuild.

"I think just being a part of that run we had at the end was exciting there for me personally," Skinner said. "To see guys, young guys with not much experience raise their games and be in pressure situations and rise to the challenge."

That's pretty introspective for a guy whose most memorable sound bites this season came wearing a microphone taped to his shirt. But there is a different energy around this team and Skinner is one of the ring leaders.

Antics aside, he understands what comes next. It doesn't mean can't have a little fun on the ride.

"I think there's maybe a little different buzz around the city, around the team," Skinner said. "That's what you want as a player. It's up to us to continue and keep taking those steps."