You are framing this in a way to make your personal argument look better but your logic is way off. You are saying pegulas are cheap because they are limiting the future cap by buying out skinner. They would be limiting it by paying skinner out now, not just out of thin air. It is more expensive to pay out 14 million now than to pay it out over 3 years. giving time for interest to accrue on that 14 million and if they spend to the cap they are saving 0 dollars, they are just still paying skinner to not play here.
You can't be like "oh they are cheap because they limited the cap by 2.5 million because of the skinner buyout!" while ignoring that the reason the cap is limited is that they already paid that money years ago.
I do not believe that they have to give the entire buyout at the time of the buyout.
The 2/3 of the remaining salary is split out over 2x the number of years remaining.
So, the cash out the door is $2.4Mx6 years and not one $14M check this year.
Not a fan of a buyout. I don't really want to carry a lower cap-hit for 6 years vs. 3 years. It would be tough, and maybe cost the Sabres an asset or two, I'd be much happier if they could trade him - even with retained salary - and be done with it in 3 seasons.
Reportedly Skinner is unwilling to waive his NMC because he would rather get the buyout and then have full control over where he goes next.
My guess is that if he is bought out, he signs a one year deal with the Leafs.