Now that the Florida Panthers have won the 2025 Stanley Cup, the offseason will get into full swing, and the first piece of business will the NHL's buyout window.

The buyout window will open on June 20, which is 48 hours after the end of the playoffs. The window will stay open until June 30 at 5 PM EST.

Will the Columbus Blue Jackets partake in this year's buyout window? I wouldn't count on it.

Don Waddell was asked recently by the Columbus Dispatch if he is considering buyouts, and he gave a simple, no-nonsense answer: “No, not at all." He added, “We’re not looking at it at all.”

If Don Waddell does change his mind and exercise his buyout options, there are only two players whom he would even consider - Defenseman Damon Severson and goalie Elvis Merzļikins. But even if he wanted to buy out one of these players, he couldn't.

Let's start with the easy one in Merzļikins.

Elvis has two years left on his deal at $5.4 million. Buying him out would mean paying him for another four years at $6.5 million. That would mean a payment of $1.625 million per season. Not terrible, but also not the ideal situation.

Elvis was much better last season on the ice and in the locker room. Pair him with Jet Greaves and next season could be even more exciting.

Now for the hard one - Damon Severson.

Former GM Jarmo Kekäläinen traded for Severson in 2023 in a sign-and-trade deal that brought him to Columbus for eight years at $6.25 million per season.

I'll use up some space for some words, but there is absolutely no way he can buy Severson out. The only way to see him off would be to trade him and eat 50% of his salary, and that probably isn't happening either. So, Severson will need to play his way out of the funk he seemed to be in last season.

To buy him out would mean to pay him for the next 12 seasons. Yes, you heard that right - 12 seasons. The total buyout cost with bonuses comes out to $1.511 million per season. That kind of buyout would haunt this team for 12 years, and that's not something Don Waddell would ever do.

The best thing to do for now is to roll with Merzļikins and Severson and see what happens.

Buyouts can tear down a franchise for years. Just look at the Minnesota Wild. Also, remember the name Alex Wennberg? Yeah, the Jackets are still paying him almost six years later. Luckily, the CBJ are off the hook on both him and Adam Boqvist after the next payments are made.

GM Don Waddell has some work to do, and they're not cash strapped, so get ready for an exciting summer. Free agency is less than two weeks away.

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