Top 15 NHL Buyout Candidates 2016

Here are 15 NHL players who may be bought out this 2016 offseason, according to Sportsnet's Luke Fox.

Jared Cowen – Toronto Maple Leafs – one year, $4.5 million. Leafs would get $650,000 in cap relief this year, and a $750,000 cap hit in 2017-18.

Bryan Bickell – Chicago Blackhawks – one year, $4.5 million. Blackhawks are trying to trade him.

Kari Lehtonen – Dallas Stars – two years, $11 million – GM Jim Nill stated they aren’t buying him out.

Andrew Ference – Edmonton Oilers – one year, $3.25 million. He only played in six games last season and an injury may not allow the Oilers to buy him out.

Dave Bolland – Florida Panthers – three years, $16.5 million. The Panthers are looking to create cap space, but injuries may prevent the Panthers from buying him out.

Dustin Brown – Los Angeles Kings – six years, $32.5 million. He lost his captaincy and his contract is nearly untradeable.

Thomas Vanek – Minnesota Wild – one year, $7.5 million – Vanek is a goal scorer, and the Wild need to score more goals. Hopefully, Bruce Boudreau can get Vanek back on track.

R.J. Umberger – Philadelphia Flyers – one year, $4.5 million – he scored only two goals in 39 games last year. Has a no-movement clause and the Flyers could have some cap issues. Andrew MacDonald and his $5 million cap hit though 2019-20 is another candidate.

Alex Burrows – Vancouver Canucks – one year, $3 million. The Canucks would have $2.5 million cap hit this year if they bought him out, and $1 million next year. Chris Higgins – one year, $2.5 million. GM Jim Benning is trying to trade Higgins. Benning wants the cap space for a UFA such as Milan Lucic or Loui Eriksson.

Eric Nystrom – Nashville Predators – one year, $3 million. GM David Poile has said Nystrom won’t be back next year, so he’ll either be traded or bought out. He would have a cap hit of $500,000 this year, and $1 million next year.

Fedor Tyutin – Columbus Blue Jackets – two years, $8.75 million. David Clarkson and his $5.25 million cap hit though 2019-20 is another candidate.

Dennis Wideman – Calgary Flames – one year, $6 million. Clear up cap space. Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan, Joe Colborne, and Joni Ortio need new deals and Flames need to find a starting goalie.