Potential Buyouts

[Corn Flake]

There's no cap advantage to doing this with Connolly or Lombardi since their contracts end this season.

What about the lack of a roster spot? Or would they just send them down?

I would just send them down. In the bizarro event that we make the playoffs, they would be great to have as depth to bring in. 

edit: also why I don't think they will buy out Komisarek now, rather waiting until the summer.

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

There's no cap advantage to doing this with Connolly or Lombardi since their contracts end this season.

What about the lack of a roster spot? Or would they just send them down?

I would just send them down. In the bizarro event that we make the playoffs, they would be great to have as depth to bring in. 

Yeah, that's a good point. I believe we'll see at least one demotion of a player making more than 3 million though. I think there are better options for three guys in camp, unless they change minds, but early indications are not good.

Maybe Lombardi gets traded.

 

[bustaheims]

What about the lack of a roster spot? Or would they just send them down?

If that becomes a legitimate issue, then, yeah, it might be in the team's interest to try to trade them or stick them on waivers and demote them. But, let's be honest, that's still an if.

 

[Corn Flake]

Maybe Lombardi gets traded.

Does anyone know if any teams out there are doing the dance with the cap floor this year?  If so, Lombardi and Connolly are viable options. 

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

Maybe Lombardi gets traded.

Does anyone know if any teams out there are doing the dance with the cap floor this year?  If so, Lombardi and Connolly are viable options. 

I think everybody is over the cap floor right now.

 

[louisstamos]

Maybe Lombardi gets traded.

Does anyone know if any teams out there are doing the dance with the cap floor this year?  If so, Lombardi and Connolly are viable options.

There was reportedly some interest in Lombardi from Phoenix, but I'm assuming any deal would require Toronto retaining a portion of his salary (although with one year left, that's not entirely a bad thing).

 

[bustaheims]

TSNBobMcKenzie: As per @Real_ESPNLeBrun, clubs can do one accelerated compliance buyout this week. Applies to players earning $3M or more AAV.

 

[cw]

There's no cap advantage to doing this with Connolly or Lombardi since their contracts end this season.

What about the lack of a roster spot? Or would they just send them down?

Sending them down would save some cap space (like Orr $900 k).

And some team might try to snag one of them off waivers because they can both play center - maybe as an injury fill in.

Or the Leafs could trade them and keep half their salary which might appeal to a small market team with a need. edit: Phoenix, mentioned above, would probably love Lombardi as they need a center who can score some and he did well there before he got concussed

 

[ZBBM]

What's the exact thing they did with Gomez?  They told him he can't play?  I don't understand, what if he wants to play?  Doesn't he have a grievance he can file, he's under contract, has a no-movement clause or something, how can they tell him "sorry you can't play"?

They've basically made him a healthy scratch for the entire season, which, as long as they still pay him and give him access to the team's facilities, is all they need to do to honour his contract.

I dunno....  What they've done is enjoined him from following his profession, and preemptively, without giving him the same chance as every other similar employee in the organization.  I think there's a grievance or a lawsuit here.

Unless his contract stipulates he has to play, Montreal can do whatever they want with him, as long as he gets his money.

Or they can dream up this accelerated buyout thing on the quick to avoid very messy lawsuits.  I think Gomez and Redden could definitely have sued, and won.

 

[BlueWhiteBlood]

Or the Leafs could trade them and keep half their salary which might appeal to a small market team with a need. edit: Phoenix, mentioned above, would probably love Lombardi as they need a center who can score some and he did well there before he got concussed

Yeah, this what I was thinking. I think Connolly will have a hard time fitting in, but there could be a market for Lombardi. I believe we're stuck with Komisarek, at least this year.

 

[cw]

What's the exact thing they did with Gomez?  They told him he can't play?  I don't understand, what if he wants to play?  Doesn't he have a grievance he can file, he's under contract, has a no-movement clause or something, how can they tell him "sorry you can't play"?

They've basically made him a healthy scratch for the entire season, which, as long as they still pay him and give him access to the team's facilities, is all they need to do to honour his contract.

I dunno....  What they've done is enjoined him from following his profession, and preemptively, without giving him the same chance as every other similar employee in the organization.  I think there's a grievance or a lawsuit here.

Unless his contract stipulates he has to play, Montreal can do whatever they want with him, as long as he gets his money.

Or they can dream up this accelerated buyout thing on the quick to avoid very messy lawsuits.  I think Gomez and Redden could definitely have sued, and won.

With their contracts under the CBA, wouldn't that just be a grievance? (and I don't like the players chances of winning that grievance because it all seems to be covered by their CBA).

 

[Deebo]

What's the exact thing they did with Gomez?  They told him he can't play?  I don't understand, what if he wants to play?  Doesn't he have a grievance he can file, he's under contract, has a no-movement clause or something, how can they tell him "sorry you can't play"?

They've basically made him a healthy scratch for the entire season, which, as long as they still pay him and give him access to the team's facilities, is all they need to do to honour his contract.

I dunno....  What they've done is enjoined him from following his profession, and preemptively, without giving him the same chance as every other similar employee in the organization.  I think there's a grievance or a lawsuit here.

Unless his contract stipulates he has to play, Montreal can do whatever they want with him, as long as he gets his money.

Or they can dream up this accelerated buyout thing on the quick to avoid very messy lawsuits.  I think Gomez and Redden could definitely have sued, and won.

Sued for what damages?

They'd still be getting 100% of their money.

 

[TML fan]

What's the exact thing they did with Gomez?  They told him he can't play?  I don't understand, what if he wants to play?  Doesn't he have a grievance he can file, he's under contract, has a no-movement clause or something, how can they tell him "sorry you can't play"?

They've basically made him a healthy scratch for the entire season, which, as long as they still pay him and give him access to the team's facilities, is all they need to do to honour his contract.

I dunno....  What they've done is enjoined him from following his profession, and preemptively, without giving him the same chance as every other similar employee in the organization.  I think there's a grievance or a lawsuit here.

Unless his contract stipulates he has to play, Montreal can do whatever they want with him, as long as he gets his money.

Or they can dream up this accelerated buyout thing on the quick to avoid very messy lawsuits.  I think Gomez and Redden could definitely have sued, and won.

How do you figure? Just what have they done that violates any laws or any stipulations in their contract? This is a personnel decision. By your logic, anyone who's ever been a healthy scratch has been denied every opportunity to showcase themselves for a contract and thus has a grievance with the league.

Gomez's contract says he can't play hockey anywhere but for the Montreal Canadiens or their affiliates. It is up to them to decide who plays and who doesn't. As long as he gets paid, he doesn't have a leg to stand on.

 

[Courtnall]

What's the exact thing they did with Gomez?  They told him he can't play?  I don't understand, what if he wants to play?  Doesn't he have a grievance he can file, he's under contract, has a no-movement clause or something, how can they tell him "sorry you can't play"?

They've basically made him a healthy scratch for the entire season, which, as long as they still pay him and give him access to the team's facilities, is all they need to do to honour his contract.

I dunno....  What they've done is enjoined him from following his profession, and preemptively, without giving him the same chance as every other similar employee in the organization.  I think there's a grievance or a lawsuit here.

Unless his contract stipulates he has to play, Montreal can do whatever they want with him, as long as he gets his money.

Or they can dream up this accelerated buyout thing on the quick to avoid very messy lawsuits.  I think Gomez and Redden could definitely have sued, and won.

Sued for what? He would be paid his full salary. You can't force a team to play a crappy player. Can you seriously imagine a team signing a contract like that? He's not being sent down, he's a scratch.

 

[cw]

30 Thoughts  By Elliotte Friedman
Wonder if Phoenix is sniffing around Toronto's Matthew Lombardi. He skated there during the lockout and apparently has good chemistry with some of the Coyotes. Maybe there's a fit. Probably wouldn't cost a ton and might be a good change for everyone.

In 2010, Lombardi was the Coyotes 3rd leading scorer with 53 points playing on a scoring line for Dave Tippett. In 2009, he finished 2nd in team scoring. Was a plus player for them both seasons. Played PK and PP.

Phoenix is lacking in forwards/scoring but has depth in dmen they might trade though it would take more than Lombardi to get a good one.

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

Gomez and Redden.  Those were some shrewd investments of $90 million by Glen Sather.

As much as it pleases me that Montreal is stuck with Gomez, it still pisses me off that they so inexplicably let Sather off the hook on that contract.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

As much as it pleases me that Montreal is stuck with Gomez, it still pisses me off that they so inexplicably let Sather off the hook on that contract.

And gave him a stud top defenceman in the process.

 

[Frank E]

As much as it pleases me that Montreal is stuck with Gomez, it still pisses me off that they so inexplicably let Sather off the hook on that contract.

And gave him a stud top defenceman in the process.

"There's a sucker born every minute." 

I think it'd be pretty neat if Redden signed for peanuts and put up all star numbers.

 

[ZBBM]

What's the exact thing they did with Gomez?  They told him he can't play?  I don't understand, what if he wants to play?  Doesn't he have a grievance he can file, he's under contract, has a no-movement clause or something, how can they tell him "sorry you can't play"?

They've basically made him a healthy scratch for the entire season, which, as long as they still pay him and give him access to the team's facilities, is all they need to do to honour his contract.

I dunno....  What they've done is enjoined him from following his profession, and preemptively, without giving him the same chance as every other similar employee in the organization.  I think there's a grievance or a lawsuit here.

Unless his contract stipulates he has to play, Montreal can do whatever they want with him, as long as he gets his money.

Or they can dream up this accelerated buyout thing on the quick to avoid very messy lawsuits.  I think Gomez and Redden could definitely have sued, and won.

How do you figure? Just what have they done that violates any laws or any stipulations in their contract? This is a personnel decision. By your logic, anyone who's ever been a healthy scratch has been denied every opportunity to showcase themselves for a contract and thus has a grievance with the league.

Gomez's contract says he can't play hockey anywhere but for the Montreal Canadiens or their affiliates. It is up to them to decide who plays and who doesn't. As long as he gets paid, he doesn't have a leg to stand on.

The damages are those that he suffers by not being treated equally with other employees.  Of course a team can decide who suits up and who doesn't, but this is not the same as a healthy scratch.  It's more like a lockout of a single individual.  In fact, it IS a lockout.  They are denying him the opportunity to pursue his profession in an arbitrary and capricious way that is completely different from how they are treating their other employees.

By sending him home with no chance whatsoever to participate on the team or its affiliates, they have essentially kicked these guys off the team without the employee having a chance to become a free agent -- and that is essentially a unliteral abrogation of the contract.  It's bad faith dealing, and you'd better believe their agents could have made a lawsuit out of it.

Let's see ... the NHLPA "reaches out" to the league with concerns over Gomez and Redden and bingo, out of nowhere, here comes an "accelerated" compliance buyout.  Why do you think the NHL agreed to that, posthaste?  Because they are selfless, altruistic, noble guardians of the good and right?  Or because their lawyers told them, "Get this fixed or else"?

 

[Kin]

Let's see ... the NHLPA "reaches out" to the league with concerns over Gomez and Redden and bingo, out of nowhere, here comes an "accelerated" compliance buyout.  Why do you think the NHL agreed to that, posthaste?  Because they are selfless, altruistic, noble guardians of the good and right?  Or because their lawyers told them, "Get this fixed or else"?

I like to think they were swayed by the case I made for it yesterday.