Holtby, Neal, Jones on waivers for buyout
Three notable veterans are being added to the unrestricted free agent pool.
Vancouver Canucks goalie Braden Holtby, Edmonton Oilers forward James Neal, and San Jose Sharks netminder Martin Jones were each placed on unconditional waivers Tuesday to be bought out by their respective teams, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.
All three can sign with new clubs as of 12 p.m. ET Wednesday.
Here's a look at the buyout implications for Vancouver, Edmonton, and San Jose, according to Cap Friendly. Buyouts are paid over a period twice the length of the remaining years on a player's contract.
Holtby
| Season | Buyout cost | Savings | Cap hit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 | $1.9M | $3.8M | $500K |
| 2022-23 | $1.9M | -$1.9M | $1.9M |
Holtby joined the Canucks last October on a two-year deal. Vancouver is desperately clearing salary this offseason to sign restricted free agents Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes, and Conor Garland.
Neal
| Season | Buyout cost | Savings | Cap hit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 | $1.916M | $3.833M | $1.916M |
| 2022-23 | $1.916M | $3.833M | $1.916M |
| 2023-24 | $1.916M | -$1.916M | $1.916M |
| 2024-25 | $1.916M | -$1.916M | $1.916M |
Neal played just 29 games last season and notched 10 points. Teams looking for cheap depth scoring options could be interested in the 10-time 20-goal scorer.
Jones
| Season | Buyout cost | Savings | Cap hit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 | $1.66M | $3.83M | $1.916M |
| 2022-23 | $1.66M | $3.33M | $2.416M |
| 2023-24 | $1.66M | $2.833M | $2.916M |
| 2024-25 | $1.66M | -$1.66M | $1.66M |
| 2025-26 | $1.66M | -$1.66M | $1.66M |
| 2026-27 | $1.66M | -$1.66M | $1.66M |
Jones, 31, struggled mightily over the past three seasons, posting a .896 save percentage in each year.