NHL Player Buyouts

Nurgle · Post by **Nurgle** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 6:44 pm

Has anyone else noticed a large increase in the number of buyouts this year?

When someone's contract is bought out, what exactly does that mean? Does it mean the player becomes a UFA, and still makes the money they would have made had they been playing? What happens if another team picks up the player? Can they negotiate a new contract with another team, while still collecting the money they were "bought out" with from the original team?

I am sorry if my questions are confusing... what I mean to say is;
Andrew "red light" Raycroft was bought out today by he Leafs. He was owed 2.2 mil or so. So he gets his 2.2 mil... now is he a UFA. If he gets signed by another team, would it be with a completely new contract which is completely independant of his 2.2m gift from the Leafs? Or would another team just assume his 2.2m contract (or a part of it) while the leafs pay out the remainder?

Thanks,

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 7:16 pm

I'm not exactly sure what they player get but I think he gets the full contract amount. The team then get to free up some cap space with only a portion of that contract counting against the cap. Hopefully someone else can give you a better answer.

Speaking of buyouts, I just read some good news for the Bruins. I guess if you've got players taking the team to arbitration, you can wait to do your buyouts after the arbitration hearing. You have 2 days after the ruling to make any buyouts you wish. So the Bruins have Denis Wideman going to arbitration with them. This means that they can make a serious run at getting Hossa. If he decides to sign with them, they can buy out Glen Murray and maybe Manny Fernandez to make room for him. They've just got to wait until late July - early August when the arbitration hearing happens and they get a ruling. If Hossa (or another big money free agent) doesn't sign with them, they can hang on to these guys. This really gives them some extra flexability. Now they don't have to decide on the buyouts before July 1st like everyone else. Oh, and just to add some conspiracy speculation to the mix... Wideman's agent is the former business partner of Bruins' GM Peter Chiarelli. No, this wasn't planned at all!

flea · Post by **flea** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 10:57 pm

I also always was confused with these buyouts, but I have found a nice page where it explains a bit the buyout:

Buyout 101 and example

From what I have heard the B's are one of the contenders for Hossa!!! That would be nice and he would be a solution of one of our problems last year: scoring!!

But well, if we cant get him there are other good players in UFA who I would like in a B's jersey!!

Nurgle · Post by **Nurgle** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 11:23 pm

Thanks flea, that's very useful information

flea · Post by **flea** » Fri Jun 27, 2008 11:58 pm

Nurgle wrote:Thanks flea, that's very useful information

No problem

Glad I could help!!

Post by **Manimal** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 1:04 pm

bruins72 wrote: Speaking of buyouts, I just read some good news for the Bruins. I guess if you've got players taking the team to arbitration, you can wait to do your buyouts after the arbitration hearing. You have 2 days after the ruling to make any buyouts you wish. So the Bruins have Denis Wideman going to arbitration with them. This means that they can make a serious run at getting Hossa. If he decides to sign with them, they can buy out Glen Murray and maybe Manny Fernandez to make room for him. They've just got to wait until late July - early August when the arbitration hearing happens and they get a ruling. If Hossa (or another big money free agent) doesn't sign with them, they can hang on to these guys. This really gives them some extra flexability. Now they don't have to decide on the buyouts before July 1st like everyone else. Oh, and just to add some conspiracy speculation to the mix... Wideman's agent is the former business partner of Bruins' GM Peter Chiarelli. No, this wasn't planned at all!

Are you sure about this? Aren't you just confusing it with the Walk-away rights the team has in arbitration. I've never heard of this and I have tried to read the CBA (I'm not too good with the bureaucratical nonsense language even in Swedish)

rottamies · Post by **rottamies** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 2:30 pm

The buyout period for NHL teams is between the 15th and 30th of june and arbitrations begin on july 20th. And furthermore i think players need to clear waivers beore their contract can be bought out. I guess the Bruins will have to do some trading to fit Hossa in, but i don't think that would be a huge issue.

frankielax · Post by **frankielax** » Sun Jun 29, 2008 6:33 pm

More buyouts occurring at the same time that more and more ludicrous contracts are being handed out. Correlation?? It seems to me that GM's, when making contract decisions, still haven't quite grasped the salary cap era and often come to regret some decisions. Just my opinion of course, but i will be very happy to see the Blues avoid those 12 year 100 million dollar contracts.

Post by **B. Stinson** » Sun Jun 29, 2008 7:22 pm

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm staying away from all NHL off-season action from now on...

I read just the first rule in flea's link, and I've already got a migraine.

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 3:03 pm

Manimal wrote:
bruins72 wrote: Speaking of buyouts, I just read some good news for the Bruins. I guess if you've got players taking the team to arbitration, you can wait to do your buyouts after the arbitration hearing. You have 2 days after the ruling to make any buyouts you wish. So the Bruins have Denis Wideman going to arbitration with them. This means that they can make a serious run at getting Hossa. If he decides to sign with them, they can buy out Glen Murray and maybe Manny Fernandez to make room for him. They've just got to wait until late July - early August when the arbitration hearing happens and they get a ruling. If Hossa (or another big money free agent) doesn't sign with them, they can hang on to these guys. This really gives them some extra flexability. Now they don't have to decide on the buyouts before July 1st like everyone else. Oh, and just to add some conspiracy speculation to the mix... Wideman's agent is the former business partner of Bruins' GM Peter Chiarelli. No, this wasn't planned at all!
Are you sure about this? Aren't you just confusing it with the Walk-away rights the team has in arbitration. I've never heard of this and I have tried to read the CBA (I'm not too good with the bureaucratical nonsense language even in Swedish)

Yes, a well respected hockey journalist from the Boston Globe was talking about it in an article recently (and the same journalist discussed it on the Bruins forum at HFBoards). I guess it's a loophole. Even though the buyout period runs June 15th through June 30th, teams are give 2 days after an arbitration ruling to decide if they need to buy anyone out. They do this because an arbiter could decide to award a player a large contract and a team may need to buyout another player if they want to keep that player.

Post by **Manimal** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 4:13 pm

bruins72 wrote:
Manimal wrote:
bruins72 wrote: Speaking of buyouts, I just read some good news for the Bruins. I guess if you've got players taking the team to arbitration, you can wait to do your buyouts after the arbitration hearing. You have 2 days after the ruling to make any buyouts you wish. So the Bruins have Denis Wideman going to arbitration with them. This means that they can make a serious run at getting Hossa. If he decides to sign with them, they can buy out Glen Murray and maybe Manny Fernandez to make room for him. They've just got to wait until late July - early August when the arbitration hearing happens and they get a ruling. If Hossa (or another big money free agent) doesn't sign with them, they can hang on to these guys. This really gives them some extra flexability. Now they don't have to decide on the buyouts before July 1st like everyone else. Oh, and just to add some conspiracy speculation to the mix... Wideman's agent is the former business partner of Bruins' GM Peter Chiarelli. No, this wasn't planned at all!
Are you sure about this? Aren't you just confusing it with the Walk-away rights the team has in arbitration. I've never heard of this and I have tried to read the CBA (I'm not too good with the bureaucratical nonsense language even in Swedish)
Yes, a well respected hockey journalist from the Boston Globe was talking about it in an article recently (and the same journalist discussed it on the Bruins forum at HFBoards). I guess it's a loophole. Even though the buyout period runs June 15th through June 30th, teams are give 2 days after an arbitration ruling to decide if they need to buy anyone out. They do this because an arbiter could decide to award a player a large contract and a team may need to buyout another player if they want to keep that player.

Good to know. Thanks!