WATCH: Buffalo Sabres celebrate Jeff Skinner's 1,000th NHL game with surprise gift for veteran winger

The Buffalo Sabres have made the veteran winger Jeff Skinner's career milestone even more special as he prepared to play his 1,000th NHL game. Ahead of their matchup against the Washington Capitals, the Sabres organized a heartwarming surprise for Skinner to commemorate this momentous occasion.

The official Sabres X account, shared the exciting news with fans, tweeting,

"In honor of his 1,000th @NHL game tonight, the team got together to show their support for Jeff Skinner with a gift themed around the milestone."

The surprise gift turned out to be a jet ski, fully black in color with "1000 games" boldly painted on it.

Before today's practice, Skinner was brought onto the ice to unveil the jet ski, which was towed in for the special presentation. With his teammates gathered around, Skinner even attempted to sit on the jet ski while it was still attached to the towing trolley.

To make the gift even more meaningful, Skinner's teammates signed onto the jet ski, creating a personalized keepsake for the veteran player.

Aside from the team's gesture, Skinner received a congratulatory message from Lily Collins, star of the hit show "Emily in Paris."

"A little “bonjour” goes a long way. Thank you to the wonderful @lilycollins for helping us celebrate her loyal fan Jeff Skinner’s 1,000th @NHL game!"

Skinner, a fan of the show, had previously gone viral on social media for discussing "Emily in Paris" with his teammate Mattias Samuelsson in a mic'd up video.

In response to Collins' message, Skinner expressed his gratitude, saying,

"That's good, that was cool. Merci, Emily. Hope everything works out for you in season four. I'll be rooting for you."

Jeff Skinner didn't score in Sabres shutout loss to Maple Leafs

Auston Matthews scored his NHL-leading 60th goal as Toronto Maple Leafs triumphed over the Buffalo Sabres 3-0 on Saturday. Captain John Tavares also contributed with a goal in his 1,100th NHL game, while Nicholas Robertson added another goal.

Matthews' milestone goal came in the third period, cementing his status as the first two-time 60-goal scorer in 30 years. Ilya Samsonov's stellar goaltending, including key saves in the third period, earned him his third shutout of the season.

The game showcased the Maple Leafs' dominance, with their fans turning the arena into a sea of blue and white support.