Sabres Buyouts & Cap Situation

[RGM81]

So the Sabres used their two compliance buyouts this week to undo the contracts of Ville Leino and Christian Ehrhoff. Neither contract was a particularly good one in terms of results, and as such I can understand why Buffalo would want those two players gone.

However, the Ehrhoff deal is a relatively cap-friendly $4M per season. For a player that had a pair of 14-goal seasons from the blue line in Vancouver, surely the Sabres could have found a willing taker that could consider him a reclamation project (or just a team in need of a power play specialist with limited defensive zone responsibilities) and let them handle the buyout in the future. It was really the term of the deal that killed things, and possibly nixed any potential deal.

Leino...another of these YouTube all-stars that gets signed because somebody with an Internet connection in Europe has the skills to make a compilation video. And much like Fabian Brunnstrom and others like him, Leino has never lived up to expectations in the NHL. He had a 19-goal season in Philly and parlayed that into a six-year deal for $4.5m per season in Buffalo. Since then, he has completely dropped off the map. He was Scott Gomez-calibre awful last season. Zero goals in 58 games. Not nearly good enough.

So what does this mean? The Sabres are presently $20.5M BELOW THE CAP FLOOR. Not the upper limit, but they're that far below the lower limit of what teams are required to spend. This likely will result in the Sabres throwing out a few truly ridiculous UFA offers on Tuesday and possibly even targeting some RFA's. Just to make the lower limit. So yeah it could be fun in Buffalo this summer.

[DnJcards]

They'll probably take on some horrible contracts in exchange for some draft pics as well. Helps get the over the bottom and adds to their draft pick stock pile

[the_nange]

However, the Ehrhoff deal is a relatively cap-friendly $4M per season. For a player that had a pair of 14-goal seasons from the blue line in Vancouver, surely the Sabres could have found a willing taker that could consider him a reclamation project (or just a team in need of a power play specialist with limited defensive zone responsibilities) and let them handle the buyout in the future. It was really the term of the deal that killed things, and possibly nixed any potential deal.

That was what I was questioning too. Have to wonder if something was going on behind the scenes to trigger this to happen.

[zunato]

Maybe the Hawks can ship Crawford and Bickell to them.

[RGM81]

That was what I was questioning too. Have to wonder if something was going on behind the scenes to trigger this to happen.[/COLOR]

My guess is that he was unhappy there and the Sabres management team was all-too-happy to be rid of him. Still, I would have at least made a couple phone calls.

[flemingc04]

Since Buffalo is still $20million from the cap floor, I could see them trading for a player with 1 or 2 years left on their contract that another team is looking to move. By doing so, Buffalo could likely gain a pick in the deal as well. Win/win situation for both teams.

[centrehice]

I remember Buffalo being as gung-ho about Error-Hof, as they were about Gilbert Perreault. They hunted this guy ….. Lol ….. I thought he was horrid when with the Canucks. Proof is not in the pudding, but always in the eating.

[waf]

Maybe the Leafs will talk them into taking Phanuef. OH PLEASE PLEASE

[habsmtl09]

they took Gorges contract! this stinks... goalies best friends, definately one of the leader in the locker room, his 3.9 mil caused this

[RGM81]

Well they're $8M closer to the floor now with the acquisitions of Gorges & Gionta.