News Article: Prior to Holland’s hiring, the Oilers were considering a Milan Lucic buyout

[FlameChampion]

No point buying him out on that contract.

Makes you really wonder about the Oilers management group. Whos idea was this? Kretzky, MacTavish, other? Or maybe Friedmans a hack and looking for clicks.

 

[CornKicker]

Just spit balling here.

Lucic and JP and a 2nd(2020) to Florida

Huberdeau and Reimer to Edmonton.

Florida gets some tough which they lack and a good young prospect to work with fellow Finn Barkov

Oilers get a back up and top six winger

There are some no NMC to deal with but if they waived them seems like a fair trade for both

Seems legit, where do we sign?

 

[oobga]

That buyout is a nightmare. Holland needs to try to make any incremental improvement he can moving Lucic. Trade his terrible 4 years for a guy with a terrible 3 year deal. Then next year, try to trade that guy with 2 years left for someone with 1 year left. You can't do that buyout and have a 5.6M cap hit in year 4 of the buyout. That is just a terrible pain to work around in the middle of the period where you have to be winning to convince McDavid and Drai to stick with this org.

 

[iCanada]

Seems legit, where do we sign?

I never say stuff like this... But I'll drive Lucic and JP to the airport for that deal.

 

[Draiskull]

what a dumb "thought". Real cap relief in yrs 5 -8 ? ????

 

[Raab]

I think guys really need to consider the 4th year could be a lockout. I think we need to get rid of Lucic one way or another. And personally I think its far worse for us to lose another high pick(top 3 rounds) to move him, then it is to buy him out and manage the cap. Realistically in 4 years 5.5M will be the average pay for a 3rd liner with the way salary is going.

 

[Dirt McGintty]

Too soon to buy his contract out. We can't afford to absorb that. We're better off just putting him on the 3rd or 4th line for 2-3 more seasons.
If nobody wants him we're going to have to just put up with it for a few years.

think it's funny how many people keep on saying he's going on LTIR due to his back/neck condition. It's not happening. He's never missed a game due to this condition. Many people with his condition live painfully horrible lives, but there isn't a single article to be found on the internet that suggests that it's disabling him.

People need to wake up and come back to reality. For him to go on LTIR he needs to say that his condition is unbearable and doctors need to agree that it's stopping him from being the best hockey player that he can be. Everything hinges on Lucic saying he can't bare it and that's not going to happen because he's a very manly man. Whether or not it's ever bothered him, we're probably never going to know about it and that is that.

I often wonder if the condition is to blame for him not being able to control a puck or stickhandle anymore though. Maybe as he becomes more hunched over it has been changing the angle of attack with his stick?

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Atleast someone in the organization has realized at Lucic needs to not be here anymore. I suspect Holland will find a trade for him.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

I'd rather just keep him on the 4th line then buy him out.

This would be possible only if he wasn't eating a problematic amount of cap space and he hadn't already basically quit trying.

 

[MessierII]

This would be possible only if he wasn't eating a problematic amount of cap space and he hadn't already basically quit trying.

Tampa had Callahan making similar $ on their 4th line for years. I’d ride it out until we can eventually move him.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Tampa had Callahan making similar $ on their 4th line for years. I’d ride it out until we can eventually move him.

Yeah, so you missed the important part of the sentence. He's quit already, he goes through the motions. That guy has no place on the team at any cap number.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

This would be possible only if he wasn't eating a problematic amount of cap space and he hadn't already basically quit trying.

Any Lucic trade is likely going to involve something similar returning cap-wise.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

wait...I thought Chia was the only one in the organization who made bad buyouts?

that would have been terrible IMO

 

[CupofOil]

Seemed like looch has been trying to pull his own trade with the nucks .He would be ok in the playoffs , but I think he Hates it in Edmonton. Unless the next coach can bring him back into the fold he is as good as gone. I'm not a fan of Holland but I also think he is a gm that can move him. I'm sure they will chat over the summer and may see a move at the draft

Well, boo f***ing hoo Looch. You signed a 7 year deal to play in the city so you deal with it until the team decides when you get to leave if at all possible.

Did Friedman actually say that the real cap relief is in Years 5-8? Uh Elliott, there's only 4 years left on the contract.

 

[MessierII]

Yeah, so you missed the important part of the sentence. He's quit already, he goes through the motions. That guy has no place on the team at any cap number.

I don’t really buy that. He’s signed with this team. He’s going to have to make it work for us either way.

 

[Jamin]

Maybe he is so bad in the room they thought need to get him out of here ASAP?

Id rather just retain and hope for someone takes him as long as the sweetener isn't ridiculous, his contract is buyout proof as others have stated

 

[FunkyChicken]

Hockey World: "Lucic's contract is buyout proof"
Oilers: "Hold my beer..."

 

[yukoner88]

He must think Chiarelli is ASST GM there

He was spotted a few times around the Blues.

 

[Burke the Legend]

Just pay him under the table to retire.

If you were Lucic would you trust Katz to make things square and honour a secret under the table agreement? I sure wouldn't. Milan would be crazy to do that.

 

[redgrant]

Friedman is frequently wrong - he was late calling Ken Holland like Pedersten and now is just throwing anything at the dartboard. He clearly doesnt even understand the cap rules as hes saying they'd get relief year 5-8.

 

[Weitz]

Friedman is frequently wrong - he was late calling Ken Holland like Pedersten and now is just throwing anything at the dartboard. He clearly doesnt even understand the cap rules as hes saying they'd get relief year 5-8.

Well yah they get the discount in those years of the buyout...

Save 2.5 million this year and just under 2 in year 3. A couple hundred thousand in years 2 and 4. Then its $625K for 4 years.

But it totally ignores the fact if they don't buy out its gone in 4 years.

 

[McShogun99]

This would be possible only if he wasn't eating a problematic amount of cap space and he hadn't already basically quit trying.

There isn't much other options. He's untradeable unless we take another bad contract back or retain 2-3 million (and Lucic accepts the trade) and he can't be sent to the minors. He's also to good to sit in the press box and he still has the respect of other players around the league.

 

[redgrant]

There is a f***ing compliance buyout likely coming next year. Lets trade this guy for someone like Bobby Ryan and then buy them out next year.

 

[Weitz]

There is a ****ing compliance buyout likely coming next year. Lets trade this guy for someone like Bobby Ryan and then buy them out next year.

Not according to hockey insiders. On the 31 thoughts podcast they had it pegged at less than 10% chance as no huge salary cap changes are coming and teams don't want to give free passes to other teams.

 

[Soundwave]

I think this team needs to be careful about doing drastic thing just to have cap space for the sake of having cap space.

Like if for whatever reason Erik Karlsson is banging down the door to sign here or you have an *immediate* other trade that immediately upgrades the team significantly but you need cap room, and you've tried every other option but nothing works and need an extra $2 million in cap next year, then OK.

I would consider this as a last resort. But doing it for the sake of "shaking things up" is stupid.