• HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • Site Index
  • NHL Salary Caps
  • Hockey 101: A Beginner’s Guide
  • Join Our Team
  • Free Newsletter
  • Store
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
Home
Philadelphia Flyers

Will the Flyers Use Their Buyouts Next Summer?

By Justin Johnson January 6th, 2013

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

It feels great to be writing about actual hockey rather than collective bargaining. It’s been a grueling 113 days for fans, team employees, writers and players alike.

With that said, there are a lot of details in the new CBA that we don’t know yet. We do however know about the 2 compliance buyouts that have been included in the deal. These will work somewhat similar to the NBA amnesty clause that was included in their new CBA last year. The difference is that in the NHL, a team wishing to buyout a player will pay 2/3 of the salary remaining on the deal. That player will then be free to go and removed from the salary cap number. This is being done in an effort to assist teams get down to the year 2 cap number of $64.3 million prior to the 2013-14 season.

buyouts Iliya Bryzgalov Flyers

Will Bryzgalov be a Flyer beyond this season? (Charles LeClaire-US PRESSWIRE)

As far as the Philadelphia Flyers go, believe it or not, they are in pretty good shape with their payroll. They have one clear elephant (or should we say bear) in the room, and we’ll get to him in just a second. Currently the Flyers have $57 million committed to 16 players for next season. There will be some player movement and trimming to get to the $64.3 million cap number for 2013-14, but nothing overly drastic.

If you look at the Flyers committed salaries, they are all pretty reasonable except for 1 in the long term and maybe another 1 in the short term.

Now, regarding the Flyers buyout possibilities, there’s one name that comes to everyone’s mind right away and then maybe a couple of more faint names in the background. Let’s take a look at some of these possibilities.

#1. Goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov

Bryzgalov has been one of the most heavily scrutinized Flyers since joining the team as a high priced free agent last season. This 48 or 50 game season will be an open audition for Bryzgalov. If Bryz does not have a spectacular season I see the Flyers buying out his contract next year. At the two-thirds buyout it would cost the Flyers a little over $20 million to buy him out, since the contract was front loaded. With seven years remaining on the deal after this season, one gets the feeling Bryz would have to really impress for the Flyers NOT to buy him out. 7 years is a long time.

danny briere Flyers contract buyout

Flyers forward Danny Briere (Eric Hartline-US PRESSWIRE)

#2. Forward Danny Briere

This one would be tough for Flyers fans and team management alike to swallow. Danny Briere does have a pretty big cap hit ($6.5 million) over the next two years following this season. However, Briere is probably the Flyers most clutch players come playoff time. The picture will be more clear next summer with how much trimming the Flyers need to do to meet the year 2 cap number of $64.3 million. I’d imagine they’ll hold this very tough decision until the last minute. Danny is very close to Flyers team management and one of the most popular guys in the locker room. It will also depend a lot on the rules. If a player is not allowed to be bought out and then immediately re-signed by his current team, it makes the situation stickier as well. One thing the Flyers have in their advantage is they control Claude Giroux through 2014-15, which is when Briere’s deal expires. So depending on what the Flyers want to do with Giroux (lock him up early or wait until 2014-15), that could have a big impact on whether or not Briere hangs around.

#3. Debunking the Chris Pronger Talk

Another name that has been going around in regards to a buyout is Chris Pronger. While Pronger has been inactive for the better part of the last two seasons due to injury, the Flyers can keep him on Long Term Injury reserve. Also, in all likelihood Chris Pronger will never play again anyway, and in order for the compliance buyouts to work, the player must be active. Pronger’s number won’t count against the cap either way.

If Bryzgalov has an average to bad year this upcoming season, the Buy-Out-Meter is at 100%. Briere will be a toss-up. The good news is we all get to watch actual hockey before these decisions even have to be thought about.

In the mean time, we’ll all enjoy every game meaning something. Whether it be meaning something for the playoff hunt or whether it means an audition for guys like Bryzgalov or Briere, it will be a treat for all of the hockey fans who are coming back for the 2012-13 season.

  • Tags
  • CBA
  • Claude Giroux
  • Danny Briere
  • Ilya Bryzgalov
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

Get theScore App Now!
Recent Posts
Jan 20th 6:10 PM
Column

Red Wings News & Rumors: Protocol, Rasmussen, Howard & More

Jan 20th 6:00 PM
Nashville Predators

Predators’ Forward Depth Leading to Wins

Jan 20th 5:35 PM
Column

Islanders Weekly: Shutouts, Injury Scares & Scoring Concerns

Jan 20th 4:33 PM
Archives

2010 NHL Entry Draft: 5 Forgotten Picks

Jan 20th 4:15 PM
Vegas Golden Knights

3 Pros and 3 Cons to Golden Knights’ Goalie Split

Jan 20th 4:05 PM
Florida Panthers

Panthers Offense Flourishes but Goaltending & Special Teams Need Work

Jan 20th 3:15 PM
Column

Red Wings Wednesday Weekly: Hockey is Back Everyone!

Jan 20th 2:35 PM
Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks Seeing Hot Starts From Some but Serious Concerns Linger

Jan 20th 2:20 PM
NHL Entry Draft

2021 NHL Draft Rankings: Baracchini’s Top 75 Rankings

Jan 20th 1:50 PM
Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers’ Goaltending & Defense Among Standouts Through Week 1

Editor’s Picks
World Junior Championship All-Time Leading Scorers

World Junior Championship All-Time Leading Scorers

2021 Guide To the World Junior Championship

2021 Guide To the World Junior Championship

Masthead

Newsletters

RSS Feeds

Privacy Statement

Contact Us

About THW…

Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. Updated daily with news and features from over 130 writers worldwide. Over 2 million monthly readers now come to THW for their hockey fix.

© The Hockey Writers 2020. All rights reserved.
logo
  • HOME
  • Hockey Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • North Division
    • Calgary Flames
    • Edmonton Oilers
    • Montreal Canadiens
    • Ottawa Senators
    • Toronto Maple Leafs
    • Vancouver Canucks
    • Winnipeg Jets
  • East Division
    • Boston Bruins
    • Buffalo Sabres
    • New Jersey Devils
    • New York Islanders
    • New York Rangers
    • Philadelphia Flyers
    • Pittsburgh Penguins
    • Washington Capitals
  • Central Division
    • Carolina Hurricanes
    • Chicago Blackhawks
    • Columbus Blue Jackets
    • Dallas Stars
    • Detroit Red Wings
    • Florida Panthers
    • Nashville Predators
    • Tampa Bay Lightning
  • West Division
    • Anaheim Ducks
    • Arizona Coyotes
    • Colorado Avalanche
    • Los Angeles Kings
    • Minnesota Wild
    • San Jose Sharks
    • Seattle Kraken
    • St Louis Blues
    • Vegas Golden Knights
  • World Juniors
  • CHL
    • Ontario Hockey League
    • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
    • Western Hockey League
  • THW Podcast Network
  • Store
  • FREE Newsletter
  • Search THW
  • More…
    • Join Our Team
    • The THW Archives
    • Prospects
    • The Goalie Page
    • NHL Salary Cap Information