Edited Oct. 6, 2020 at 2:19 p.m.
Quoting: pinslack
It makes sense
if 2020 buyout (today's news)
2020-21 : 3,95m
2021-22 : 1,95m
2022-23 : 0,83m
2023-2024 : 0,83m
=7,6
if 2021 :
2020-21 : 3,55m (Laval) (+0,4)
2021-22 : 2,3m (-0,4)
2022-23 : 1,1m (-0,3)
2023-2024 : 0 (+0,8)
=7
More money for key years (2021-2022 & 2022-2023)
He didnt plan to use the extra 400k obtained from Alzner in Laval
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.habsworld.net/2020/06/when-is-the-right-time-for-the-habs-to-buy-out-karl-alzner/amp/
2020-21: $3.96M vs. $3.55M = -$0.41M
2021-22: $1.96M vs. $2.29M = +$0.33M
2022-23: $0.83M vs. $1.17M = +$0.34M
2022-24: $0.83M vs. $0M = -$0.83M
Net: -$0.57M
Sorry I just had to do the exact calculation myself to see what it was haha.
I guess it is not that bad, but is it really worth saving $300k in years 2 and 3 to save much less in years 1 and 4? Maybe.
But the issue I have with the move is it removes all other options, you can't trade a buyout. MTL could have traded Alzner's contract much like the Staal trade, this year or next year if he wanted too. Who knows maybe Alzner would have got sick of the AHL and terminates his contract (I doubt it). Now the habs are stuck with that cap hit.
If he was not planning on using it this year then I guess it doesn't really matter, but he also obviously wasn't considering trading his contract to make a big move next year either as its no longer an option.
Just seems like it was all a courtesy thing for Alzner, and maybe its best for this situation to end anyways.
Edit:
I could see a team like ottawa taking Alzner after the signing bonus is paid for a 2nd round pick maybe more, this year. That would have given the habs a lot more cap space if they are serious about competing in the next two years.