Anaheim Ducks
Boston Bruins
- Chris Kelly $3M, 3 years left
The Bruins currently have $58M already committed to the $64M
cap. Including Kelly, they have 11 forwards already under contract, along
with six defensemen. Caron and Daugavins are RFAs, but that probably won’t hurt
the bottom line that much. The big issue is Tuuka Rask is an RFA and even
backup Anton Khoudobin is a UFA. If they combine to make $7M total, that alone would
put Boston over the cap. To say nothing of Boston needing to round out their
roster. Most of the Bruins players are under good contracts, and while Kelly’s
contract isn't terrible he’s probably the most expendable player and freeing up
3M might have to be necessary. He could become a trade candidate instead.
Buffalo Sabres
- Ville Leino $4.5M, 4 years left
- Drew Stafford $4M, 2 years left
Leino is a no-brainer because he isn't worth nearly that
much money and it’s hard to fathom anyone taking that contract via trade. Stafford is
definitely no lock to get bought out and frankly, I wouldn't bet on it. That said,
I thought he was a name worth mentioning because he makes a ton of money, has
been on the trading block and Buffalo seems tired of him. Chances are they can
trade Stafford or at the very least keep him and see if he rebounds before deciding
on what to do next with him.
Calgary Flames
- Cory Sarich $2M, 1 year left
- Miikka Kiprusoff $5.8M, 1 year left NOTE: if he doesn't retire
As noted, if Kiprusoff doesn't retire he probably will get
bought out. The Flames are going through a huge rebuild, he makes a ton of
money, and it will be hard to find a team that actually needs a goalie and can
afford that cap hit. When it comes to Sarich, the Flames made him available to
every team this year and found no takers. Giordano and Wideman are in the top
4, and chances are Butler –who is an RFA—will be too. Since they are
rebuilding, it’s entirely possible Brodie will also be in the top 4, along with
Derek Smith somewhere in that unit and maybe a guy like Mark Cundari who they
just got in the Bouwmeester deal. Maybe Calgary keeps Sarich and hopes they can
get some value for him at next year’s deadline, or maybe they just cut bait and
start giving young guys auditions.
Carolina Hurricanes
- Jamie McBain $1.8M, 1 year left
Canes have $56M already committed to the cap next year and
had McBain on the trading block this year. It’s entirely possibly they simply
trade him for a late pick or something minor, but if they can’t they might just
buy him out because they are strapped for cash and don’t appear to think he’s a
solution to their defensive woes. They only have four other defensemen under
contract other than McBain so they might keep him, but they've played
Sanguinetti all year and he’s a UFA who could probably be resigned for cheap,
plus Murphy might make the team next year along with a few other AHL candidates
likes Jordan, Biega and Bellemore.
Chicago Blackhawks
- Rotislav Olesz $3.125M, 1 year left
- Steve Montador $2.75M, 2 years left
These two are both no-brainers as Olesz and Montador both
make a lot of money and are already buried. This is a foregone conclusion.
Colorado Avalanche
- Greg Zanon $2.25M, 1 year left
- Shane O’Brien $2M, 2 years left
Including Barrie and Elliott, the Avalanche already have
eight defensemen under contract next year. Siemens could make the team out of
camp for the 13-14 season, plus they might be bad enough to draft Seth Jones
this year. Due to this, I picked the two most logical choices to be bought out
because Hejda and Johnson have value, Hunwick plays a ton and Ryan Wilson is a
solid player.
Columbus Blue Jackets
- James Wisniewski $5.5M, 4 years left
Wisniewski is the only righty on the Columbus defense and he isn't a bad player, but he makes a lot of money and that’s a terrible contract
with a lot of term left. Maybe the Blue Jackets keep him, or maybe they run
with Johnson, Tyutin, Nikitin, Erixon, Murray, Goloubef, Prout and maybe even
Savard. It might not make them a better team immediately, but it would get them
away from this contract. They could also wait to do this after next season
instead.
Dallas Stars
Detroit Red Wings
- Mikael Samuelsson $3M, 1 year left
- Todd Bertuzzi $2.075M, 1 year left
The Wings have $52M worth of players signed for next year and
Dan Cleary, Valterri Filppula and Damien Brunner are all key UFAs. They also
have Brendan Smith and Gustav Nyquist as important RFAs that need to be signed.
It’s a tight squeeze for them and Bertuzzi and Samuelsson are both old and have
barely played this year. If Detroit’s looking to make room to sign younger
guys, their combined $5M could help them quite a bit.
Edmonton Oilers
- Ben Eager $1.1M, 1 year left
- Ryan Smyth $2.25M, 1 year left
- Eric Belanger $1.75M, 1 year left
Since Eager is already buried, it’s probably safe to assume
he’s getting bought out. Belanger hasn't produced at all since coming to
Edmonton and would be my guess to be bought out based on ability, although both
these guys have seen their best days pass them by. On the flip side, Smyth is
making more money so they could clear more cap room. The Oilers payroll is at $52M and they need to resign Gagner, Paajarvi, add two defensemen and a goalie. The
cap is $64M. Each team only has two buyouts.
Florida Panthers
- Scottie Upshall $3.5M, 2 years left
- Ed Jovanovski $4.125M, 2 years left
- Filip Kuba $4M, 1 year left
The Panthers aren't really in cap trouble, these three
players just have terrible contracts. Upshall played 26 games last year, and only 18
so far this year, throwing up 8 points total and he’s turning 30 this year; that’s a lot of money for a third liner. Jovanovski is turning 37 this year and
is basically a third pairing defenseman making a lot of money for two more
years, so there isn't much more that needs to be said. Kuba isn't worth his money
either, but at least there’s only a year left. It’s reasonable to envision any
of these guys getting bought out.
Los Angeles Kings
Minnesota Wild
- Dany Heatley $7.5M, 1 year left
Heatley is making mere thousands less than Parise, and is
seventh on the team in scoring. Cal Clutterbuck is an RFA, Matt Cullen and PM
Bouchard are UFAs should they want to resign them, Backstrom is a UFA in net
along with Falk and Spurgeon on defense as RFAs. They have $58M already tied up
for next season and just brought in Pominville.
Montreal Canadiens
- Tomas Kaberle $4.25M, 1 year left
- Rene Bourque $3.3M, 3 years left
Kaberle will get bought out, that goes without saying. There’s
a good chance Bourque doesn't get bought out, but the Habs already have $61M of
their $64M tied up for next year and do need to fill in their roster. They've been fine without Bourque, although he is a good player that can still contribute.
He is turning 32 this year and still has three years left. They may just want
to get out of that contract and give themselves some breathing room for next
season.
Nashville Predators
- Mike Fisher $4.2M, 2 years left
It would be a surprising and hard move for the Predators to
buyout Fisher, but it’s possible they do. He’s turning 33 this year, he's making a
lot of money for the next two years and he isn't getting any better. Fisher is
third on the team in scoring, so he’s not having an awful year, but he’s making
a lot of money on a small market team and they might just take a long hard look
at that contract and ask themselves if he’ll be worth that money the next two
seasons.
New Jersey Devils
- Anton Volchenkov $4.25M, 3 years left
Volchenkov plays under 16 minutes a night and is signed for
three more years. They can afford to keep him financially, but it’s just a
terrible contract that they should want to get away from.
New York Islanders
New York Rangers
- Brad Richards $6.6M, 7 years left
Brad Richards already isn't worth $6.6M, so imagine 2, 3, 4, 5,
6 or 7 years from now. Maybe they keep him for next season and decide to buy
him out after that though.
Ottawa Senators
Philadelphia Flyers
- Ilya Bryzgalov $5.6M, 7 years left
- Danny Briere $6.5M, 2 years left
How could this team not buyout Bryzgalov at this point? His
play and demeanor has been well documented so there’s no point in getting into
it, but he has 7 years left and is making a lot of money for a guy who is not
the answer in net. The Flyers are already a million dollars over next year’s
cap, too. Then there is Briere. He’s old
now, makes a ton of money and doesn't put up the point totals he once did that
made us all overlook his defensive issues. That’s a lot of money for an old,
regressing, flawed player. And he has two years left.
Phoenix Coyotes
Pittsburgh Penguins
St Louis Blues
San Jose Sharks
- Martin Havlat $5M, 2 years left
- Adam Burish $1.85, 3 years left
The Sharks aren't in cap trouble, but Havlat makes quite a
bit of money for a guy who is struggling to produce, let alone the fact that he
basically never stays healthy. He has two years left so they may just want to
use that money elsewhere instead because Havlat hasn't really been a good fit
in San Jose to this point. It’s doubtful the Sharks buyout Burish, but you just
look at his contract and term and role and just wonder about it so I put it
down. Call it due diligence.
Tampa Bay Lightning
- Ryan Malone $4.5M, 2 years left
Malone isn't a bad player but he’s turning 34 this year, he
struggles to stay healthy every year, and he’s making a lot of money for a guy
who is more of a top nine forward than top six. Tampa Bay also has a bit of a
youth movement going on right now and if they weren't thinking of buying Malone
out before, the play of guys like Alex Killorn should be causing them to.
Toronto Maple Leafs
- Mike Komisarek $4.5M, 1 year left
- JM Liles $3.875M, 3 years left
Komisarek is getting bought out, we know that already. Liles
has had an up and down year but the bottom line is that the left side of the
Leafs defense has Gunnarsson, Fraser, Gardiner and Rielly on it, and Liles is
signed for three more years. They might be able to trade him because he can
still run a power play, contribute, and isn't on a terrible contract though. But that
term might be a little tricky.
Vancouver Canucks
- Keith Ballard $4.2M, 2 years left
- Roberto Luongo $5.3M, 9 years left
Keith Ballard has played forward this year and has two more
years on his contract still at a big number. I don’t see how they don’t buy him
out. Luongo probably won’t get bought out because Gillis is proving to be
stubborn and actually thinks he can get value in return for him. That said, I
felt it was necessary to at least include his name here.
Washington Capitals
- Joel Ward $3M, 2 years left
- Jeff Schultz $2.75M, 1 year left
Ward is actually having a quietly good year as he’s surpassed
his 18 points from last year and is playing 15 minutes a night. There’s a solid
chance they don’t buy him out because third liners are worth the money that he’s
making. The betting is that they keep him. Schultz on the other hand is a depth
defenseman making quite a bit of money, and the Caps have to resign Karl Alzner
this summer. It’s hard to imagine them not buying him out.
Winnipeg Jets
- Olli Jokinen $4.5M, 1 year left
Jokinen has 13 points in 41 games and while I don’t love
+/-, when you’re -17, that’s saying something. He’s turning 35 this year, so
what are the chances he gets better? The Jets have to resign RFAs Wheeler,
Little, Burmistrov and Bogosian too. While they have the cap room to do it, Jokinen
is making a lot of money and not producing so they might just cut ties.
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