I'm just copy/pasting this from my fbook. Sarah and I were having a long drawn out argument on twitter, and then she posted on my facebook about it as well. The argument was about Bryz's buyout this summer + how the media is on him nonstop about it. Basically my position is/was leave him the hell alone already
You're making me want to rant again. Only this time with no character restrictions. Not a good thing. You have to see what my point is Sarah. 4 points back, with a dozen games to go. His focus has to be 100% on winning. I know the media has to look at every story, and that it is your job. I respect that fully. I just don’t see why the media can’t try to put a positive spin on acquiring Mason. Bryz has had 0 help this year and despite playing in almost every single game, he has been a solid goalie. When he has been rested he has been an incredible goalie. Mason will give him that opportunity to rest, regenerate his batteries, and come out stronger. If we can make a playoff push without having to rely on him playing every game from here on out, that is perfect.
You can say that athletes are expected to face the media pressure, and you are right. But it’s no secret that certain people are affected in different ways. Look at Ricky Williams. Some people handle it a hell of a lot better than others. With Bryz it’s been a rollercoaster ride that is really unprecedented. I can’t say what is going on in his head, and how all of this is affecting him, and I doubt you can either. There are days where he is fun and playful, and others where he will go a long period of time without talking nor wanting to talk.
As far as a pure monetary stand point, I still don’t see them buying him out. At least not this summer. We have this summer and next summer to make two buyouts if we want. All signs point to (if he is healthy) using one on Briere this summer. His cap hit is unmanageable, but what makes it more likeable is that he will only be owed $5M over his last two years. This is pretty easy for the owners to sign off on. That alone will give them nearly $9M in cap space next year without any LTIR relief. Considering their core, this should be enough to work with. Even if we resign Mason to $2.5M per year. Have Bryzgalov play for the full season with Mason pushing him, as well as helping him. If Mason stands out, then we can go from there. If we buy him out in 2014 it will make a lot more sense. Giroux will get his raise, as well as B. Schenn and Couturier. But we do not know what the cap hit will be for that year, so it still might not even be needed.
Buying him out this summer makes zero sense. All we’ll be doing is replacing him with another goalie who is unproven. If they sign Mason to be the starter, buy Bryz out, Mason plays average like he has the last few years, then what? You’re paying Bryz to play for someone else, you got Mason being overpaid, and then you’re out shopping for yet another goalie to replace him with. All this without giving Bryzgalov an actual chance with a solid backup to lighten his workload. Quite frankly for a number 1 goalie, Bryz’s cap hit isn’t that bad at all. The only thing is the length of it.
The last thing is if we were to buy him out this summer, we will be paying him until the 26-27 season. Quite frankly I find it hard to see the owner signing off on such a thing. Especially with how adamant they were on bringing him in.