During his media availability in Nashville, Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving said he didn’t anticipate exercising the buyout window, but that doesn’t mean a buyout isn’t possible.
During his media availability in Nashville, Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving said he didn’t anticipate exercising the buyout window, but that doesn’t mean a buyout isn’t possible.
NASHVILLE — Forty-eight hours after the 2023 Stanley Cup was awarded to the Vegas Golden Knights, the first buyout window opened up to NHL teams looking to utilize it.
But Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving has opted not to use it and doesn't anticipate that he will between now and the end of the first buyout window closes at 5 p.m. on Friday.
"We don't anticipate any activity on that front," Treliving confirmed following the end of Day 2 of the NHL Draft at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.
There's been speculation about if the Leafs would entertain that option and goaltender Matt Murray has been floated as a potential candidate. With one year left on his contract at a salary cap hit of $4.6875 million, Murray ended his first season with the Maple Leafs as Toronto's third-stringer after a series of injuries set him back.
Ilya Samsonov, carried much of the load in goal for Toronto and Joseph Woll emerged as a solid tandem option and was chosen over Murray during the playoffs when Samsonov was injured in Round 2.
During his media availability on Tuesday, Treliving said he was open to the idea of having three goaltenders on their roster, including Murray if that's where Toronto finds themselves in.
Samsonov is a restricted free agent.
But on Thursday, Treliving pointed out that even though a buyout window will close on Friday, a second one opens up later in the summer.
"There is a second buyout window if you have any arb (arbitration) cases," Treliving said.
A second buyout window opens up later in the summer to teams following any arbitration case filed or settled.
Clubs can execute a buyout later in the summer during a 48-hour period beginning on the third day after the final of a settlement of the team's final arbitration case or the team's last arbitration award`
In addition to satisfying one of those two elements, the player eligible for buyout must have been on the team’s reserve list as of 3 p.m of the last NHL trade deadline day and must have a salary-cap hit of $4 million or more in the offseason.
Murray satisfies both of those requirements.
During his time as GM of the Calgary Flames, Treliving used the second buyout window on a couple of occasions. On Aug. 3, 2018, Treliving bought out Flames alternate captain Troy Brouwer. One year later, Treliving bought out Michael Stone and later signed him back to the Flames at an NHL minimum salary.
It makes sense that if the Leafs were to exercise a buyout that they would punt on the decision. By the middle of summer, Toronto would hopefully have some clarity on their salary cap situation.
Teams can be 10 percent over the salary cap in the offseason. With limited cap space, they can play around with the roster for a while and once they get some clarity past free agency, they could look to free up some money if any of their players file for salary arbitration.
There is always the possibility that the Leafs clear salary cap space in other ways. But as Treliving is finding out, it’s been an expensive proposition trying to retain some pending unrestricted free agents.
“We like our guys but our prices are high right now.”
If it stays that way, maybe then a buyout is entertained later this summer.
Until then, the Leafs have some time to figure it out.
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