Quote:
Originally Posted by Buster
Can we game the buyout rule for this season?
Trade for a horrible contract, and some prospects/picks, then buyout the player?
Calgary doesn't have an obvious buyout candidate now that Stajan doesn't suck.
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In theory, sure. I don't believe there's an actual rule preventing something like that although the NHLPA might not be too thrilled with anything too blatant.
In actuality though, the Flames management isn't too keen on throwing away money. Even when the team was in a much better position then they are now they forced Feaster to move out Kotalik with a negative value instead of burying his contract in the AHL another year.
Recently the Sabres under Pegula have shown some tendency to trade "cash" for value like they were willing to do with Kotalik before he made his way back home. The Leafs had similar thinking a couple years back when they "bought" a pick from the Lightning by taking Kolzig off their hands. And the Rangers are the Rangers. But each of those teams have their own problems.
The Rangers already have bought out Redden, they're out of the playoffs as is and have only 10M cap space to sign several players next year. And not just minor players but guys like Stepan, Hagelin and McDonagh.
The Leafs have just put Komisarek in the AHL to let him play and he is the obvious buyout next year. But Grabovski is making 6M a year right now with a cap hit of 5.5M until 2017. With Kadri really breaking out if they decide to keep Bozak they're going to have to address Grabovski one way or another. And his play this year isn't doing them any favours.
The Sabres have several overpaid players because Pegula gave the a-okay to spend but they're a terrible team with not much cap left. They have to re-sign Hodgson as well as replace Leopold and Regehr. Leino's hurt now but 25 points last season in 71 games is unacceptable for a player making 6M. His cap is 4.5M and his pay falls to 4M next year, but even then if the Sabres want to make some noise he looks to be a buyout candidate if he doesn't turn around his game. And there's several other players not living up to their paycheck on that team. Keeping their 2 compliance buyout options would probably be a good idea.
We still might see some problem child for problem child trades and teams retaining some salary but I would be a little bit surprised to see a blatant big salary transaction in the next couple years.
As for the Flames, I feel like if they are willing to eat some dead salary it would be better off to use it on players like Cammalleri and Bouwmeester when trading them. Teams would kill to have a player like Bouwmeester making under 4M, and Cammalleri would probably fetch a nice return himself if he wasn't costing a team 7M next year.