If he's still injured, they might not be able to. It was a triceps injury so it could go on for months, I could see him still being injured during the buyout period and the Flames being unable to buy him out as a result. I can't see Wideman allowing the Flames to do that either because he's looking for a bounce back year so he can land another contract. He knows he will play somewhere at $5.25m next year if he doesn't allow the buyout, who knows what happens if he enters UFA? After the year he had, he might have to settle for a PTO, especially since he'd be coming off a bad injury, not to mention the baggage from his hit on Henderson.
If that's how it plays out, maybe the Flames decide they want to go to arbitration with Colborne so they get the second buyout window to use on Wideman, assuming he's healthy by then. Avoiding Wideman being forced into one of those protection slots has to be priority #1 if the article is right.
Gaudreau, Monahan, Bennett, Backlund
Brodie, Giordano, Hamilton, Wideman
Goalie
That leaves Frolik, Colborne, Jokipakka, Poirier, Shinkaruk, and Ferland as notables that would be exposed. Of all those guys, I would be upset about Ferland, Shinkaruk or Poirier the most, depending on how they progress next season. Any of the first three could easily be replaced in UFA IMO, but that doesn't mean I think they are 'bad' players.
Worst case scenario is the Flames have to keep Wideman and 1-3 of Ferland, Shinkaruk or Poirier break out in 16/17. If that happens, I think you would see that young guy get plucked pretty quick. Watch Shinkaruk put up 25 goals and get scooped up in expansion all because of Jay Feaster and Dennis Wideman
