Buying out Ville Leino is a certainty (apparently)

by JSCoope on Feb 12, 2012 1:55 AM EST

THN is starting to get beyond stupid. From this article:

http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/44701-Proteau-Teambyteam-buyout-candidates-Pt-1.html

Proteau says the likelihood of Leino being bought out is a 5 (out of 5), in other words, a clear certainty.

Don't hockey writers have to actually research and look around at things before they submit an article? And isn't an editor supposed to then double check these things? I don't get things like this when he's played half a season, has a long contract, has steadily been playing better and better (if not producing as expected) and is still getting into a new system. PLUS, Pegula has already stated that he likes this team as is a lot. How does any of that suggest a certain buy out?

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From the article:

Likeliest buyout: Ville Leino. If I need say more, you need read (and watch) more.
Likelihood team buys him out: 5. Owner Terry Pegula has cash to spare and he’d gladly spare the cash necessary to rid the Sabres of Leino’s $4.5-million cap hit in each of the next five seasons. Not a question of if here.

LOL. I also assume he is using a 1-5 scale for the buyout certainty? Maybe he introduces the idea in a previous article, but it says nothing in the linked article above. I really do not mean to be too brutal, but how do guys like that get paid?

"We’re gonna win the Stanley Cup. Then, you know what, we’re gonna win it again,"
-Terry Pegula

by bgred105 on Feb 12, 2012 2:51 AM EST reply actions

And by guys like that, I mean writers who produce that type of article. Is it meant to be tongue-in-cheek, or is it a serious analysis of buyouts? Does Protreau understand how a buyout works?

I imagine an article like this is meant to be filler? I do not have statistics off-hand, but buyouts are relatively rare in the NHL due to the cost and length they would take complete (hell, Yashin is still raking in $2.204 mil a year until 2014/15). If we bought out Leino, he would take up cap space until the 2021/22 season, which is 5 years after his current contract would have ended. Also, if Pegula would, “gladly spare the cash necessary to rid the Sabres of Leino’s $4.5-million cap hit in each of the next five seasons,” why wouldn’t he just bury it in the minors? Yes, that costs him more money than a buyout, but it would not affect the team’s salary cap (which is more important IMO).

Also, I saw that he included his buyout certainty scale in the Anaheim paragraph. While at least he acknowledge with defining his scale, that introduction of the scale should have probably went in the introduction of the article…..ya know, before he discusses the team by team buyout candidates. That could be nitpicking, but defining the metric you are using to declare a player’s buyout certainty should go at the start of the column.

"We’re gonna win the Stanley Cup. Then, you know what, we’re gonna win it again,"
-Terry Pegula

by bgred105 on Feb 12, 2012 3:11 AM EST up reply actions

Agreed.

A usable player for 5 more seasons who has the chance to put up 50-60 points is better than paying $1.4m to $2.4M in cap space for no one.

2012-13: -$100,000
2013-14: $1,900,000
2014-15: $1,900,000
2015-16: $2,400,000
2016-17: $2,400,000
2017-18: $1,400,000
2018-19: $1,400,000
2019-20: $1,400,000
2020-21: $1,400,000
2021-22: $1,400,000

"If we needed any more motivation to win a Cup sooner than later, we've got one now," Black said. "I really want to listen to the game that RJ calls when he finally gets to shout out, 'Buffalo wins the Stanley Cup.'"
"Do it or Die Trying."

by FloridaBuffalo on Feb 12, 2012 8:59 AM EST up reply actions

That "writer"

clearly does not understand the salary cap implications of a buyout. Whether the owner has cash to burn has nothing to do with it.

by lassathrax on Feb 12, 2012 10:18 AM EST reply actions

read the article

Proteau says “if” the league adopts the amnesty clause allowing one player to be bought out with no cap penalty’s. You people really need to read the article before commenting. The article was written purely on speculation.

by Number11 on Feb 12, 2012 1:54 PM EST up reply actions

That happening seems very unlikely.

He’s stupid either way. “Hey let me invent something that would never be agreed upon and then implement it in my imagination… Now that’s an article!”

Save Jenrry Mejia!
2012 Amazin' Avenue Offseason Plan: 2nd place

by Ogre39666 on Feb 12, 2012 2:30 PM EST up reply actions

I do like Proteau’s articles usually, this one does seem to be a figment of imagination though.

Smile.. tomorrow will be worse

by Calvin on Feb 12, 2012 2:42 PM EST up reply actions

Agree.

Not to mention that such a clause would allow teams to make more ridiculous contracts that could be bought out for no cap penalty whatsoever. The current method at least holds a team responsible for the mistakes they make.

"We’re gonna win the Stanley Cup. Then, you know what, we’re gonna win it again,"
-Terry Pegula

by bgred105 on Feb 12, 2012 10:52 PM EST up reply actions

Hey let me invent something that would never be agreed upon and then implement it in my imagination

He didn’t “invent it” and it isn’t lazy and he’s not stupid. This is being strongly looked at as a possibility by many league members and GMs.

Larry Brooks talked about it years ago as a possibility.
CBC again brought it up as secondary labour issues that will be discussed in the new CBA
It also has precedent in the new NBA CBA.

Gee if only members of the media would write articles absolutely relevant to the upcoming CBA. What a stupid guy!

Sidenote: Say if your team could buyout one contract penalty-free, would it not be Leino? He’s not trying to single out Buffalo here, every team has a mistake contract. Komisarek, Gomez, Dipietro, Bryzgalov?, Keith Ballard, hell Vancouver might even regret that decade+ contract with Luongo with Schneider waiting in the wings.

No no, dig UP stupid.

by nhlcheapshot on Feb 18, 2012 7:48 AM EST up reply actions

To Sidenote:

I still think it would be too early to buyout Leino; his contract was risky, but we are only about 10% into his current deal. If he could become a 45-50 point player for the next five years, this deal would be fine (at the least it would have been market value for the 2011 Summer). Lots of teams have mistake contracts, but I really think they should be held accountable for their actions…making a one time buyout clause is just an easy button for a GM that has made a bad move.

I was more put-off by the assertive connotation Proteau had with “guaranteeing” his buyout with a rating of 5. Leino has easily been a scapegoat this year, but this WHOLE team has under-performed except for Vanek and Pommers. From my comment below, I had retracted my earlier and more critical comments, yet I still find this as an easy solution to GMs aggressively pursuing contracts without accurately weighing the negatives of their actions.

Also, what if this sets a precedent for every CBA? That is speculation, but GMs could possibly become more aggressive near the end of CBAs since they know they could always buy out a contract that is reckless with no cap penalty. Currently, I like the consequences that are held to bad contracts. Of course teams could bury them in the minors, but if that player really wanted to play NHL hockey (such as Wade Redden), they could always not show up to September training camp (which would nullify their contract). Then they would be UFA that could sign with any team that would want them.

"We’re gonna win the Stanley Cup. Then, you know what, we’re gonna win it again,"
-Terry Pegula

by bgred105 on Feb 18, 2012 12:22 PM EST up reply actions

Saying Leino will certainly be bought out is stupid regardless. IF that clause is passed there will be guys bought out before Leino. You don’t go out and give a lengthy contract and 4.5 mil/year to a guy and then give up halfway through his first season.

by JSCoope on Feb 12, 2012 3:28 PM EST up reply actions

well said

i agree, half a season does not a career make. if that was the case why hasn’t Ovie been sent packing?

by Number11 on Feb 12, 2012 6:35 PM EST up reply actions

Guilty

I only skimmed it. Seemed stupid so I didn’t give it my full attention.
Still, though, his premise for buying out Leino is flawed, I’d keep him for at least another season even without the cap clause.

by lassathrax on Feb 13, 2012 11:18 AM EST up reply actions

I am guilty of it as well…I was commenting at 3 am on a Sunday morning, which is not something anyone should really do. Still, I hope this one-time amnesty is not added into the new CBA, and I would much rather sit on Leino then buy him out one year into a 6 year deal.

"We’re gonna win the Stanley Cup. Then, you know what, we’re gonna win it again,"
-Terry Pegula

by bgred105 on Feb 13, 2012 11:39 AM EST up reply actions