Salary Cap: How will Nonis use the remaining compliance buy-out and retained salary transaction?

[McMatthews]

The Maple Leafs will buy out Mike Komisarek, which opens up $4.5M in cap space. We can also trade one more player and retain salary. According to CapGeek.com, we retained salary on both Frattin and Scrivens. Every NHL team can retain salary on 3 players in a trade. We are left with 1 more compliance buy-out and 1 more retained salary transaction.

The two likely candidates to be moved seem to be Mikhail Grabovski and John-Michael Liles. The Dave Bolland acquisition seems to make Grabovski expandable, especially if they're seeking to upgrade the #1 centre position. It's unlikely Mikhail Grabovski gets bought out. If you retain 30% of his contract, he's likely a desirable asset to another team at $3.85M. John-Michael Liles may hold some value on the market but the remaining retained salary transaction is likely used on Grabovski.

Hypothetically, if you buy out Liles and retain 30% of Grabovski's contract, you're looking at an additional $7.7M in cap space.

- KOMISAREK, LILES, GRABOVSKI
+ $12.25M IN CAP SPACE

How do you use them up to make cap space?

Click to read more...

 

[613Leafer]

We might have two compliance buyouts remaining. Depends if theyre using one on Komi or just a traditional buyout. Considering he only has 3.5M and 1 year left, a traditional buyout would barely be felt. 2.2M this year, 1.2M next season.

 

[Daisy Jane]

everything I've read/heard is that Nonis is not going to use two compliance buyouts this year. And all fingers are pointing to Komi if they do. i even though the cap is going up, we don't know how "up" its going, so i could see them saving it.

 

[Gardiner Expressway]

I think it's a total waste to use a compliance buyout on Komi. Would much rather trade Komi for a worse contract+asset and buy out that contract. We gain an asset, other team doesn't have to buy out a big contract.

I'm sure there are a couple teams that might fit that bill... teams who don't have the money to buy out a big contract, teams without a compliance buyout to use etc

 

[Mr Knies Guy]

Unfortunately, we're stuck with them both, can't see buyouts being used unless they acquire a bad contract

 

[GordieHoweHatTrick]

I think Nonis and co. want to save one buyout for next season in case Grabovski underperforms again. There is a chance they use one on Komisarek if they can add some bodies via FA and need a little bit of cap relief but I definitely see them saving the other one.

 

[crkkh]

I assume that Nonis now wants to finish molding the team for Carlyle...

He has acquired the goalie and 3C he needed, and now needs a 1C, 2nd line winger (Clarkson?) and a 2D...

Grabovski isn't a 1C and Kadri is a couple of years away from the job...Vinny would buy them enough years for Kadri to develop...and failing that 1 of Weiss or a return of Bozak on say a 2 (3?) year term would again give the Leafs some time to properly turn around their fortunes at centre...

So with Komi gone (regular buyout), either a trade of Grabovski (salary retained?) or a compliance buyout would give Nonis the money he needs to address the other major holes in his lineup...Grabovski just makes too much money for what he provides...at least Bozak plays well with Kessel...

Liles would probably bring assets at the trade deadline and provide some defence depth for the first part of the season...although if the Leafs could pickup Vinny, Scuderi and their winger and needed the money, then Liles should go any way possible as well (trade or compliance buyout)...

it doesn't pay to fall too much in love with your players...Grabovski and/or Liles have not provided what the Leafs "need"...and can't be projected to in the future no matter how candy coated people want it to look...

cut ties with Komi and Grabovski, and deal with Liles as required and start next season with a lineup not laced with players who you just haven't gotten rid of yet

 

[darrylsittler27]

Says who?

I assume that Nonis now wants to finish molding the team for Carlyle...

He has acquired the goalie and 3C he needed, and now needs a 1C, 2nd line winger (Clarkson?) and a 2D...

Grabovski isn't a 1C and Kadri is a couple of years away from the job...Vinny would buy them enough years for Kadri to develop...and failing that 1 of Weiss or a return of Bozak on say a 2 (3?) year term would again give the Leafs some time to properly turn around their fortunes at centre...

So with Komi gone (regular buyout), either a trade of Grabovski (salary retained?) or a compliance buyout would give Nonis the money he needs to address the other major holes in his lineup...Grabovski just makes too much money for what he provides...at least Bozak plays well with Kessel...

Liles would probably bring assets at the trade deadline and provide some defence depth for the first part of the season...although if the Leafs could pickup Vinny, Scuderi and their winger and needed the money, then Liles should go any way possible as well (trade or compliance buyout)...

it doesn't pay to fall too much in love with your players...Grabovski and/or Liles have not provided what the Leafs "need"...and can't be projected to in the future no matter how candy coated people want it to look...

cut ties with Komi and Grabovski, and deal with Liles as required and start next season with a lineup not laced with players who you just haven't gotten rid of yet

Have they said they will waste a compliance buyout on Komi who has 1 year left and could play 7th Dman? I don't agree this team needs another winger but rather a top 2 dman and a number 1 C is all.To me a buyout is used one on Liles another on Grabo. Komi could play 7th dman and be traded at deadline for a 4th rounder. He isn't that bad, just overpaid. Grabo has some worth if we eat some salary like $3M of it,wow!

 

[I Believe]

I just can't see JML being bought out.

$3.875 mil/year for a puck mover is not a bad deal, and definately not an unmovable contract. I see some value in him.

 

[MJ65]

What if we leave Komie in AHL - does it count against the cap?

 

[FlareKnight]

Could certainly see Komi getting the one buyout and Grabo getting moved while retaining a bit of salary to make it happen. But I guess it depends on everything that Nonis has going right now.

 

[Wendel17]

Two ideas proposed above that I personally like.

1 - Eat some of Grabo's salary to make him more desirable to trade partners.

2 - Trade Komisarek for a worse contract and prospect coming back to us. Use the compliance buyout on the new contract we inherit.

This is all assuming they need the cap space. Cap space is all fine and good assuming we have players to use it on. Having it for the sake of having it and going through all work of buying players out makes no sense (to me at least).

 

[MuchoMacho]

What if we leave Komie in AHL - does it count against the cap?

yes, still counts against the cap.

 

[DaveT83*]

No one will be bought out this season

 

[MJ65]

yes, still counts against the cap.

What options do we have other than compliance buyout?

 

[SprDaVE]

Lombardi is a UFA, so we regain a "salary retained" transaction, so we are back up to 2.

 

[Hurt]

What options do we have other than compliance buyout?

Trade or regular buyout.

 

[rojac]

yes, still counts against the cap.

The correct answer is part of his salary would count against the cap. Essentially, if a player in the AHL has a cap hit greater than NHL minimum+ $375,000, then the excess counts against the cap.

So, in 2013-2014, the NHL minimum is $550,000, so essentially, any AHL player with a cap hit greater than $925,000 counts against the cap. The amount they count against the cap is their cap hit - $925,000. So, since Komi has a cap hit of $4.5M, he would count $3.575M against the Leafs cap if he played in the AHL.

 

[Punch Drunk Loov]

I agree that using a compliance buyout on Komisarek is a huge waste. I think its a very doable situation and we can take a higher risk on someone like Horton. I'm not buying the Clarkson thing or the Lecavlier thing

 

[smitty10]

I said buyout Liles, but I'd prefer to see Nonis trade him for a pick or player if there seems to be interest.

 

[gabeliscious]

i dont see how nonis can buyout grabovksi unless he knows 100% that he has another center. since the cutoff for buyouts is before ufa start the only way this happens is if bozak is resigned at a reasonable cap hit-which seems unlikely.

i think it is more likely that they keep grabovski for the year and try to move him or buy him out next summer. we really cant throw away dirty laundry until we have clean.

without bozak or grabovski we would need to hope colborne is ready to take on a 2nd line roll and kadri a first. if we need to rely on kadri and colborne down the middle on our top 2 lines it will be a recipe for disaster.

regarding liles, i think he is an nhl defenseman and some team could use him. possibly even the leafs. compared to what other pmd are making at $3.8 million for 3 more years its not that offensive of a contract.

i think our defense might look something like;

phaneuf-gunnarson
gardiner-franson
liles-fraser

 

[nc]

I'm not sure if have seen this article from mirtle, (not sure how credible he is either), but it does contain a few good quotes from Nonis.

http://m.theglobeandmail.com/sports...r-maple-leafs/article12904166/?service=mobile

What I found intersting was when Nonis said: "Then later on: “We’ve just eaten up some cap space but we’re working on a couple of things that might free up some as well. If that happens, it’ll have an impact.â€"

I wonder what he has in mind that would make an impact?

 

[MajorityRules*]

I see a few people saying using the compliance buyout on Komisarek is a waste. I'm actually a little surprised that Nonis hasn't done anything yet.

I have a question regarding these compliance buyouts.
If Nonis doesn't use any this year, can he use two next year?

If he can't use both next year, wouldn't it be better to use one on Komi instead of letting it go to waste?

I suppose if the answer to my first question is yes, then I've answered my own 2nd question.

 

[TOG26]

I am super surprised Komi wasn't put on buyout waivers today...

Same with Liles. Wonder if Nonis is working the phones up till the last minute to get something else done.

 

[zeke]

David Alter @DavidAlter590
The Leafs have officially bought out Mike Komisarek.