If we are able to trade him we will have to, without a doubt, retain 50% of his salary! Buying him out is a bad option because than we are stuck with partial salary for this season plus next season. The most likely scenario for him is that he is waived to be sent to Rochester, we save about 1 million on the cap this season and he is completely gone next year. Everyone's thought that he will Null his contract and go the KHL will not likely happen. He will do the Matt Moulson and play in the AHL and get paid his 3.5 million

If they bury him in Rochester, the cap savings puts them under.

They can bury Sobotka and Hunwick, recall Olofsson and they would be 300k under 5he cap. The problem is no flexibility when someone goes on regular IR, like Bogosian

Not sure. They could bury him through loaning him to another AHL team, or he may want to play in the KHL this year. Or they could start the year with Bogo on LTIR and Sobotka could start the year up with the team.

If he does not report to camp, no full relief for that?

I got the sense from botterill that it never actually occurred to him to waive, buyout, or have the coach sit him in the press box. I suspect that unless kruger gives botterill an ultimatum, that he will be penciled in on the 4th line. Theres always a guy that fans focus their hate on- mike wilson, ville leino, brian holzinger, zach bogosian- its sobotkas turn as long as he is here.

Why would he not report? If he screws himself out of 3.5 million dollars this year, is another nhl team, or team in ANY league giving him that? Hes not very well liked by the fans and hes not a very good hockey player (although i do remember him being a successful pest 8 or 9 years ago, that part of his game is gone now, possibly the result of concussions).

He did LEAVE the team though last year right? He could get a similar contract from a EUR/USSIAN team paying the same but with less taxation.

Tell him to f**K off to the KHL or send him to the ECHL.

Pegula has a private secret meeting with Sobotka. He convinces Vlad to retire then offers him a 5 year contract at $1,000,000/yr to be a scout in Trebic, Czech Rep. for the Buffalo Sabres.

He didn't leave the team last year. you are thinking of Berglund. No indication he will just forfeit his contract. most likely he will be waived or play on the 4th line,

Is there any real reason (other than basic humanity) that we Sabres Fans should not harbor some sort of animosity towards Vladdy as his game was just horrendous last year. He may have had the most pitiful season a forward has ever played in a full season. I agree with you that fellow Sabres fans were misplaced with their disdain toward Zinger & Bogo but Milly Vinally Leino was well deserved.