In order to dump Brouwer to VGK, you're probably going to have to give up assets. Retaining that salary probably doesn't do too much. You could probably just buy him out at the second buy out window if you're going to retain salary.

Fully agree that it would make no sense to retain more than your buyout would be. It is not worth a 7th round pick. On the flip side, you can't have it a bad deal for both CGY and VGK like you say. Obviously, VGK would jump at a Troy Brouwer on a 2.25M salary. Thats a good deal for Brouwer.

Unfortunately, I think they will have to do something creative though, because I think, regardless of what we want, the market sets the price, and a Hanafin is worth more than a Lindolm, and he will be making more than what is listed here, and unfortunately so will Jankowski. I don't think Kulak will get more than the 800K or so he made last year. He was great and probably deserves more, but again, from a negotiation standpoint, the Flames have 5/7 D not doing anywhere (unless a Stone has to be is traded for cap room), then you have a 6th D in Prout you pretty much already committed a spot to, and then there is a handful of flames farm club D that have to start getting and deserve NHL experience, I am not sure how much leverage Kulak has with this crowded blueline. He has got more playing time and his currently better than a few of those guys, but who has the higher ceiling? The Flames brass will give an opportunity to whoever they feel, through their own research and analytics, has the higher probable ceiling. If Stone is traded, they may give Kulak a little extra, but the Flames would be smart to sign him, before they trade away stone if they do, while they still have the leverage.

It makes a lot of sense to retain more than the buy out. The buy out would be $1.5 for 4 years but retaining salary would only be 2 years. Treliving likes depth on defense, he won't be trading Stone. Buying out or trading Brouwer is really the only logical choice if the Flames need more cap space.