Quoting: jr400
The 48-hour buyout window that was created by the Lajoie signing is gone, but I think they can still buy out Gardiner if they waive him.
If he doesn't pass the physical then he can stay on LTIR so there would be no reason to buy him out. If he passes then I believe they have to take him off LTIR, but then they could buy him out. I think they can waive him and buy him out anytime, so I see no need for them to rush into it. I'm not sure exactly when they have to get under the cap, but if they can wait until training camp, that's what I would do.
Sorry, I think I was wrong about a couple of things:
The 48-hour window created by the Lajoie signing isn't gone, because it doesn't open immediately after the arbitration case is settled. It opens 3 days later and then runs for 48 hours.
I'm less sure about this one, but I think what I misunderstood the note about being able to buy somebody out if they clear waivers. I read it as meaning that's the only way you can buy somebody out if you're outside the buyout window, but I think it's actually just an additional requirement for buying somebody out if you're already
in a buyout window. It's not something you can do anytime.
What this means for Gardiner is they can still buy him out, but I think they'll have to move quickly to get him off LTIR and through waivers in the next 48 hours.