On the NHL Buyout Period …
John Buccigross: The NHL buyout period starts at 5 pm today and runs through 5 pm on June 30th.
On the Toronto Maple Leafs …
Darren Dreger: The Maple Leafs have put Jared Cowen on waivers for the purpose of buying him out.
On some players who could be bought out …
Scott Burnside of ESPN: Injured players can’t be bought out, so that potentially eliminates Andrew Ference (EDM) and Dave Bolland (FLA). A list of players who could be bought out.
Dan Girardi – New York Rangers – four years left at a $5.5 million cap hit.
Kari Lehtonen – Dallas Stars – GM Jim Nill said he’s not buying out Lehtonen or Antti Niemi.
Thomas Vanek – Minnesota Wild – one year left at $7.5 million, a $6.5 million cap hit.
Fedor Tyutin – Columbus Blue Jackets – two years left at $8.75 million, a $4.5 million cap hit.
Dave Bolland – Florida Panthers – three years left at $5.5 million per. If deemed not injured, he could be bought out.
Dustin Brown – Los Angeles Kings – five years left a $5.875 million cap hit.
On the New York Islanders …
Arthur Staple: Not expecting the New York Islanders to buy anyone out during the first buyout period.
On the Anaheim Ducks …
Eric Stephens: Ducks GM Bob Murray said that they will not be buying anyone out.
On the Boston Bruins …
Jimmy Murphy: All quiet on the Bruins buyout front. Think that Dennis Seidenberg and Jimmy Hayes could be buyout candidates, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Bruins try the trade route with them.
On the Minnesota Wild …
Michael Russo of the Star Tribune: Thomas Vanek’s agent doesn’t think the Wild know just yet if they are going buy Vanek out or not.
“If Chuck knew he was going to buy him out by now, I think I would know by now,” agent Steve Bartlett said regarding Wild General Manager Chuck Fletcher. “I do think I have a good enough relationship that he’d give me the heads up. Now that doesn’t mean that they couldn’t decide something different between now and two weeks from now.”
The Wild currently have about $64 million committed to 15 players for next year.
A Vanek buyout would cost them $2.5 million over two years, but a cap hit of $1.5 million and $2.5 million.
On the Philadelphia Flyers …
Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer: The Flyers are expected to part ways with R.J. Umberger. Umberger has a year left on his deal at a $4.6 million cap hit. If bought out he’d carry a $1.6 million cap hit next year, and a $1.5 million cap hit in 2017-18
