Trading cizikas and buying out clutterbuck would free up 5 mill

Do they have someone going to arbitration? Can't buy out anymore without the arbitration window I believe

Ho-sang + pulock. I think ho-sang will be the only one to actually get to the hearing , but regardless it opens a 2nd buyout window

2nd buyout window only opens if the award is over $4m

I’m pretty sure the 2nd buyout window opens even if the islanders reach a deal with pulock before arbitration, and obviously he’ll get over 4 mill

I thought it was they could only use a buyout on someone that cost at least $4M?

You’re both right. F*ck it buyout Leddy

No it has nothing to do with Leddy. It has to do with the buyout award of the guy who filed for arb. JHS is obviously not getting a $4m+ award. Pulock would get that if he sees it through without negotiating a deal before his hearing.

I don't think so. I believe it has to do with the buyout award only. The guy filing for arb needs to get awarded $4m+ for the window to open. That's my understanding anyway

So how did Vancouver get a 2nd buyout window if virtanen has a 2.5 mill cap hit? Is it the total amount over 2 years that matters?

https://twitter.com/CapFriendly/status/1319331715500920834?s=20

I'm honestly not sure. I didn't realize that was another loophole. His AAV is still under $4m so I don't know how VAN got one

Also, this: https://twitter.com/ThomasDrance/status/1320090754966904832?s=20

Are we sure they even got that 2nd window? lol

I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure that means that the only players that can be bought out are players that have a cap hit over 4 mill

https://twitter.com/PuckPedia/status/1320093792968396800?s=20

Thanks for clarifying

So it seems like Leddy is the most realistic option. His buyout would save 4.25 mill. I would do that and then attempt to trade komarov instead of boychuk. Frees up 7.25 mill.

Someone on here explained it to me as it doesn't matter on the ruling or if they even get to the ruling or how much the contract is its as long as an RFA files for arbitration there's a 2nd buyout period but that it can only be used on someone who makes at least $4M so Virtanen filed which opened a 2nd buyout window for Vancouver but it could only be used on Sutter or Eriksson for example but not Baertschi, Beagle or Roussel.

So if that is correct the Islanders will have two buyout windows for 48 hours from the point Pulock and
Ho-Sang's deals are signed, guys like Leddy or Boychuck could be bough out but Czikas or Clutterbuck can't.

I'm assuming there's a 2nd buyout period for each RFA that files for arbitration, I might be wrong about that though idk.

We could free up the necessary space for Barzal and Pulock by trading Boychuk. We have the assets, but need a partner, which seems to be the mountain that needs climbing.

The other solution is buying out Nick Leddy, which I'm not a huge fan of but doing it would be a huge help this year and next year when it comes to getting under the cap.

Its hard to say "we have the assets" when you don't have an actual trading partner and now what it would cost. The cost of cap space sky rocketted after the draft, where looking at Toronto for example Kapanen returned a first and a prospect a few weeks before the draft and after, Johnsson less valuable but not that much less, returned a depth player. A legit first pairing LD/RD in his prime was given away for a 3rd (Schmidt).

So who the hell knows what it would cost to trade Boychuck. I could see it being argued a 1st alone in normal times, maybe a first with 1.5 mil retained or something. But now? I have no idea, it could be sky high, or perhaps a good but not blue chip prospect like Wilde and a 1st or second. Its so hard to know

Buying out Leddy seems overkill, he's still fine, I gotta think he can be given away for free instead of buying out. Trading to a team like the Kings for a proverbial 7th or something.

Wait I also just realized, trading Leddy made sense when you had Toews. How is your left side depth without Toews? Pelech is a top 4 LD, but who else do you have? Hickey is a 6/7 d no?

(Also I hate that you have both Pulock and Pelech. It's so damn confusing)

Sebastian Aho

I wouldn’t want to give up the assets to move boychuk, I’d rather trade clutterbuck or komarov.

Komarov would probably cost bellows + 2nd.

I wouldn’t be surprised if hickey went on LTIR - apparently he still has lingering issues due to a concussion he suffered last year.