It's difficult for me to think of a scenario where he isn't bought out.
I don't know if a 20 goal season at this point would be enough to save him.
The contract is absolutely awful when you consider some of the amazing cost saving deals the flames have currently (hamonic's stupid low cap hit, Mike Smith's salary retention from Arizona, the stupid value the flames are getting from Monahan and Gaudreau's deals, tkachuk producing outrageously on an ELC, etc, etc).
It's a bigger anchor contract at this point than Wideman was in his final two years, in my opinion, because the Flames can actually go for it right now.
Stajan/Brouwer is keeping a 7 or 8 million dollar top line player off the roster for Calgary right now. Stajan is fortunately gone at the end of the year, but if there is an opportunity to buy out brouwer and turn his 4.5 cap hit into 1.5, I think the organization will be strongly inclined towards the buyout.
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