A buyout is a really poor option. Probably worst case.Buyout incoming. Better option that retaining 50% of adding a 2nd. He may have been the least effective player in his role in the entire league last year. A bucket placed in front of the net would not have gone 50 games without a goal while playing with Pettersson.
The highest buyout cap hit years coincide with the largest cap hit years of the OEL buyout. They'd have $6+M in dead cap on the books, in years they're trying to contend, effectively wasting the surplus value they're getting from the remaining years on Demko and Hughes' contracts.
For them to upgrade the roster, it is imperative to get off the full freight of Mikheyev's cap hit this offseason. If they have to pay to do so, it's a necessary evil. Unfortunately this is one of the few significant mistakes of the Allvin era. I said as much at the time that signing Mikheyev was not smart.