Vegas doesn't need to trade Clarkson, his contract can be placed on LTIR during the off season, training camp, and through the year (three different formula calculations), in other words at all times as long as you have built up enough of a relief pool which Vegas has. It actually works against them to trade him, because other teams haven't built up their relief pool like Vegas has. They never would have traded for Stone and signed him without knowing this

Would gusev ever be traded?

sure only Stone is off limits, but no one really knows what it will cost, thats why there is a lot of tire kicking with him. I have heard they have an extension in place

I would love to get him, but I think they would be dumb to move him. Potential star.

Forgive me, I am not an expert in LTIR because I cant remember the Sabres ever having to use it. But, aren't they still on the hook for Clarkson's money, it just comes at a later date if hes on LTIR?

But they kind of do need to trade him. They're already $2 million over the cap and that is before the Karlsson extension gets signed. Moving him now would help that. They also need to move 2 or 3 players like Miller, Eakin, Haula, and Reaves.

Their cap situation is bad for this season but once they move some contracts they'll have the cap space to do what they need to do like signing a backup goalie and officially annoucing the Karlsson extension which they can't do right now because it would put them over the threshold teams are allowed to be over during the off season. The cap being $81.5 instead of the $83 million it initially was reported really hurts them this year, after this season they'll be fine because all of their key guys are signed long term.

Gusev alone would make me excited for the upcoming Sabres season. Don't think Botterill has the gnads to do it at all.

GUSEV

No it makes no sense to, they can put the entire amount on LTIR, Which shaves 5.25 on their cap hit. Yes they still have to make trades to get it down to 81.5m but trading Clarkson means another team can only place him on IR or buy him out. Both have cap hits where we have a pool built up not to

It's insurance that pays the actual money out. Since he has bean on IR over the past 2 years in Vegas it has built their pool money , in laymens terms the pool it built roughly with one day on IR gives you one day of LTIR relief. There are three different formula calculations but they are all roughly the same. What this means is Vegas has a relief pool to place him on LTIR where if they trade him to another team the other team takes the cap hit. It's why it makes no sense to trade him