Carolina Hurricanes Buyout Defenseman James Wisniewski
By Jenny Lana
GM Ron Francis and the Carolina Hurricanes buyout James Wisniewski.
The Carolina Hurricanes continue to shock me. It was announced today (June 30, 2016) just a day before the free agency frenzy begins, that the Carolina Hurricanes bought out defenseman James Wisniewski’s contract. Yes, like most, it was a shock to me. It’s not like we need to free up some cap space. Since James Wisniewski had a No movement clause (NMC), he was able to have the choice to skip waivers and was able to go straight to being bought out. Personally I am not sure why Ron Francis did this but he has to have something up his sleeve for tomorrow.
James Wisniewski played 47 seconds in a Carolina Hurricanes uniform. Why only 47 seconds you ask? Well it’s because he tore his ACL in his first game (the season opener) of the 2015-2016 season and since the Carolina Hurricanes didn’t make it to the Stanley Cup playoffs he was done for the season. The Wiz, as he is often known around the locker room via his teammates, was brought to the Carolina Hurricanes to help out as a veteran presence to the younger defencemen and to help the power play; again before he was sadly injured. He has appeared in 552 career NHL games with Chicago, Anaheim, the New York Islanders, Montreal, Columbus and Carolina, totaling 274 points (53g, 221a).
Buying out Wisniewski’s contract, gives the Carolina Hurricanes some cap relief this season (not that they need it); and will pay Wisniewski $2 million (2/3 of this year’s salary) over next two years. He was entering the last season of his contract.
The Carolina Hurricanes have 17 NHL players under contract, with $24 million in cap.
After the buyout, the Carolina Hurricanes are approximately $24 million in cap space, $5 million to get to the floor. 17 NHL players under contract. The Carolina Hurricanes now have a significant amount of room to spend money when free agency opens Friday at noon.
This move was a surprise to everyone and a last minute one, so you can’t help but think something big is going to go down tomorrow.
http://hurricanes.nhl.com/club/m_news.htm?id=888006