Friedman: Canes to buyout Kotkaniemi?
- Thread starter LEAFANFORLIFE23
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Unsustainable
Seth Jarvis has Big Kahunas
Less than 1% of the cap, not the end of the world.
Kevin27NYI
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It's such an obvious choice, the savings per year are terrific. A lot of times a buyout isn't worth the replacement but this case it works. And when his actual contract year falls out vs the remaining buyout years (meaning net loss, no savings) the cap could be 100 Million plus vs his 800K.
Unsustainable
Seth Jarvis has Big Kahunas
Yeah, if there isn't a team willing to take a chance on him that needs a center, it's the obvious choice. The 1/3 buyout is good for another season, so a team could risk getting him for future considerations, play him a year and buy him out at the end of next season for 10y at 835k. Just a thought.
Kevin27NYI
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Didn't know that, is this an option for the Canes to kick the bucket down one more year? I assumed they needed the cap space for other re-signings but again didn't know this was an option. Thought this was the last year to get the 1/3.
Unsustainable
Seth Jarvis has Big Kahunas
I'm thinking I was reading it was 1 more year left of the 1/3 rule. But we do need the space.
But the cap going up and the saving 4m on him would give us room to sign Guentzel easier with keeping more of the other players.
Jacob
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Penguins will take him if you eat 15% of his hit. So that’s $723,000 but only for the duration of his contract. Throw in a pick.
The 1/3 buyout could be good for 2 more seasons, as Kotkaniemi doesn't turn 26 until July 6, 2026. But that could be impacted by an Olympic year schedule, so assuming it's only good in 2024 and 2025 might make sense.
You've heard a lot more about a potential PLD buyout because his can only be done this off-season.
I expected Carolina to give him another season before they acquired Kuznetsov at the trade deadline. I don't see them keeping Kunetsov and Kotkaniemi along with Aho, Staal, and Drury down the middle now. Especially when Waddell spoke about wanting to get a RH center during the press conference today.
With Kuznetsov likely to stay next year, it seems like now is the time to get back that $4M in cap space with so many players to re-sign.
Kevin27NYI
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I'd go by you over me on this one.
But got it. I think it's the right move, there's only so often these 1/3 buyout come across and if the value is there you can't really pass on it.
I think you're right, I think this is where I got confused.
Unsustainable
Seth Jarvis has Big Kahunas
@Chrispy beat me to it. he's a 1/3rd buyout until after 25-26, barring something funky pushing out the end of the season past the beginning of July.
And if Pittsburgh then buys out Kotkaniemi there's a retained salary slot on the books for twice as long. See Arizona with OEL: Vancouver's buyout takes up a retained salary slot for Arizona, not a buyout slot.
Carolina's much more likely to use retained salary slots in the future than buyouts. So if they can't unload Kotkaniemi without retaining salary, they're likely to buy him out directly rather than retain salary.
A contract swap is also more likely than retained salary: send Kotkaniemi for a shorter-term similar cap hit. The other team could try him out before deciding on a buyout or just buy him out, while Carolina takes the cap hit for the next year or two.
Jacob
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WreckingCrew
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Yea, can't see the Canes wasting any assets in a trade, someone either takes a swing on him cheap/"future considerations" now when they can do a buyout if he doesn't work out, Canes buy him out if they really need the cap space, or they kick the can down the road a year and revisit next offseason. If we didn't already have Staal & Drury, he'd make an ideal 3C honestly, but since we insist on overplaying Staal it kinda jumbles things up a bit.
If Canes aren't happy, then now is the time. Same as Kings and Dubois.
Sort of seems like this was baked into the gamble from the hop, considering the structure and his age. Given his season I would say its pretty likely. Unless a team really thinks he's worth that contract and will to pay it to jump the line and not try to sign him cheap as a FA.
Golden_Jet
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Thanks for posting his birthday, I think July 1 is cutoff. So looks like 2025 then for 1/3.
Gurglesons
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I feel like PIT will be taking this contract on this summer. Makes too much sense and Carolina likely will give us a small add for him.
Unsustainable
Seth Jarvis has Big Kahunas
KK, 2nd for a hosted lunch for the team of Primanti Brothers next time they play.
Hi buyout would amount to 8.8M. Too bad it didn't amount to 8.2M to reference his jersey# 
Retention is a deadstop dealbreaker because if you subsequently buy him out, we tie up a retention slot for the term of the buyout.
It has to be at full value if we trade him.
Gurglesons
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I don't think PIT would require retention. Just a sweetner. Not something significant. 2nd or 3rd and taking back a contract like Eller or Smith.
Rakell for Koko straight up kinda makes sense for both teams too.
Won't happen because it's a different management group, but it would be hilarious if Montreal sent Carolina a crisp $20 bill to help out with the buyout.
