3 Most Likely Buyout Candidates Of The Offseason

The offseason is here for all teams but five. That means there will have to be decisions on the future of each team in order to get themselves back into competition next season. This starts with evaluating contracts. Some teams will opt to buy out a contract to take the cap hit rather than giving up assets to move him. So here are the three most likely players who could be bought out by their teams this offseason.

Petr Mrazek - Toronto Maple Leafs

Another year and we are once again speaking of the cap trouble the Maple Leafs are going to be in. Their starting goaltender Jack Campbell is an unrestricted free agent and will demand a good sum of money, while Petr Mrazek is being paid $3.8 million for two more seasons.

The Maple Leafs are going to have to do everything in their power to bring back their starter and move Mrazek just one year after acquiring him. He is too injury-prone and had a horrible season. The team has Erik Kallgren who stepped up, and can even sign a much cheaper replacement if they want more security. Mrazek's money takes away from what the Maple Leafs could be paying Campbell to stay, and it doesn't seem like any of the big five stars on the team are moving.

Milan Lucic - Calgary Flames

The Flames, like the Maple Leafs are going to have trouble bringing back key players for next season. Both Matthew Tkachuk and Johnny Gaudreau are free agents and will be demanding much more money after each hitting 100 points this past season.

Trading one is an option that will surely make the team worse in the coming seasons, but the Flames could save some money by buying out the final year of Milan Lucic's contract. They've waited long enough and gave him a role lower in the lineup, but now the cap hit of $5.25 million is going to hurt them. The team could always bring him back on a cheaper deal to save any money they can, but they will need to do something to bring back both of their 100-point superstars.

Nick Foligno - Boston Bruins

Nick Foligno's first season in Boston didn't go as planned as he had a season to forget. Unfortunately for the Bruins, he is signed for one more season at a cap hit of $3.8 million. This team needs a bit more to get them over the hump for one last time before Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand retire, so they could do with the extra money.

Foligno isn't the player he once was and finished last season with two goals, 13 points, and a -13 on a team that had a +35 goal differential. He plays on the fourth line, and that's too much to pay someone who isn't in an impactful role.