How about you keep skinner and don't do pretty much everything else

What would it take for Skinner with retention

Sure, if you want a 1 dimensional team and all 8 wingers to basically be the exact same

Moving Mitts and Olofsson is one thing that really would shake up the middle six of the lineup and something that I'd be fine with, I just don't like the Skinner buyout.

I don't think that I would mind seeing us go after a guy like Meier (if we can sign him to a decent number) and rolling out:
Skinner-Thompson-Tuch
Meier-Cozens-Peterka
Krebs-Savoie-Quinn

I think that a top 9 like that has plenty of variety amongst the wingers and the centers, but that is just me

Skinner buyout isn't much for next season, but in 3 and 4 it's 4.6m and 6.6m when the Sabres really need cap. So a buyout nest summer probably isn't wise. Konecky is nice, but worth giving up a first for his two years?

Quinn, Peterka, Savoie will likely need paid; on top of also paying Cozens; Tuch will also need an extension in no time. I guess we just need to decide who we're rolling with long-term. If you think Meier is the guy then great. I am a fan of Meier - but what we would give up in a trade and what we'd have to move on from in our roster a year or two after makes it less attractive to me anyway. I am also willing to bet he signs for 9mil plus similar to Tkachuk.

My vision would be to establish our core of JJP, Tommer, Tuch, Quinn, Cozens, Savoie and then cycle high energy, physical presence season-season w/ UFA signings and expiring UFA trades

Oh no.. well scrap this idea then :'o