What to do with Mason Raymond?

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Don't want to the team to have dead money from a buyout or retained salary in a trade. So I think you invite him to camp and hope he shows something.

Every GM will have bad signings. This one is almost behind us.

If you keep him in the hopes that he can play like an NHLer in the fall, and he fails to do so, then you're throwing even more dead money (and cap space) at him to play in Stockton.

[Strange Brew]

If you buy Raymond out, he will still have money against the cap for two more years. That cap room will be more important as the Flames progress to being a contender. Rather just suck it up this next year.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

If you buy Raymond out, he will still have money against the cap for two more years. That cap room will be more important as the Flames progress to being a contender. Rather just suck it up this next year.

It depends. Buying him out saves us 2 million this year. And his 1 million cap hit the following season would be far from crippling. If the Flames like the UFA crop this summer the 2 million savings this year plus the extra roster spot plus getting him off the minor league team could be worth the downside of the 1 million cap hit in 2017-18.

I could see it going either way.

[Jason14h]

Don't forget with a buyout the owners save REAL $$ as well.....

[Strange Brew]

Yeah the $1 million in the year after next is far from crippling of course, but its still dead money and hopefully the Flames will be closer to contending.

You don't really save $2 million against the cap this year, do you? Sending him down saves $900K I believe so its less than that.

If the owners want to save money then so be it. I'd rather the team keeps as much powder dry as possible for future years. Good point on the different UFA crops but its not just UFA's. Its the ability to take on salary in trades.