Looming expansion draft forcing clubs to shuffle rosters with buyouts, trades and signings
Team president Glen Sather said Dan Girardi’s contributions to the New York Rangers were “immeasurable” as the club announced the impending buyout of his six-year contract.
Teams across the league are having to shuffle their decks with buyouts, trades and signings as they prepare for the Las Vegas Golden Knights to poach a player at the first NHL expansion draft in 17 years next week. Clubs have until Saturday morning to submit a limited list of players that Vegas can’t touch.
The Rangers would have had to include Girardi in that group had they not exercised a buyout as players with no-move clauses in their contracts must be protected — unless said player agrees to waive that clause as Marc-Andre Fleury did for the Pittsburgh Penguins earlier this season.
Dion Phaneuf declined when the Ottawa Senators asked, a complication which forces a difficult decision for general manager Pierre Dorion.