<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" align="center" data-width="550" data-lang="en" data-dnt="true" data-partner="jetpack">Benoit Pouliot is on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a buyout.&mdash; Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) <a href="https://twitter.com/reporterchris/status/880456761131626496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
According to multiple sources, the <a href="http://stats.nhlnumbers.com/teams/EDM?year=2018">Edmonton Oilers </a>have placed Benoit Pouliot on waivers with the purpose of buying him out.
He&#8217;s signed for two more years at a cap hit of $4 million, but a buyout would eliminate his contract and cost the Oilers $1,333,333 against the cap for four years. That&#8217;s ultimately a savings of $2,666,667 for the next two seasons, but an additional cost of $1,333,333 for the two seasons after that.

Pouliot had been a mixed bag with the Oilers since signing that five-year, $20 million deal back in the Craig MacTavish era. Over his first two seasons with the club, Pouliot produced at a level you&#8217;d expect him to. His 0.65 and 0.59 points-per-game figures in 2015-16 and 2014-15 respectively are the two best of his career, but injuries shortened both of those seasons to under 60 games.
Last season was a disaster for Pouliot. He played in 67 games, recording only eight goals and six assists, a career-low 0.21 points-per-game. Of course, injuries played a part in that decline, but Pouliot&#8217;s frequent uninspired play and frustrating offensive zone penalties earned him a spot in Todd McLellan&#8217;s doghouse.
The timing of this buyout is somewhat curious. As we&#8217;ve discussed many times since the end of the playoffs, the Oilers aren&#8217;t really in a cap bind until Connor McDavid&#8217;s extension begins in 2018-19. Apparently that&#8217;s going to cost the team in the ballpark of $13 million annually. Had the Oilers waited and executed this buyout in July 2018, they would only be on the hook for a penalty of $1,333,333 for two seasons. Obviously Pouliot isn&#8217;t a top-six player worth $4 million, but he&#8217;s still an adequate NHL depth player.
The Oilers easily could have fit Leon Draisaitl&#8217;s new contract — even at the ridiculous $9 million cap hit that&#8217;s been thrown around — into their cap picture with Pouliot at $4 million on the roster. With that in mind, you have to wonder if they&#8217;re looking to free up cap room to make an addition on July 1,<a href="https://twitter.com/TSNRyanRishaug/status/879835652644192256"> though multiple sources around the team have suggested the roster is set. </a>
<a href="http://stats.nhlnumbers.com/teams/EDM?year=2018">The Oilers&#8217; cap situation with Pouliot bought out can be viewed at NHLNumbers. </a>

[tweet https://twitter.com/reporterchris/status/880456761131626496 hide_thread='true' align='center']

According to multiple sources, the <a href="http://stats.nhlnumbers.com/teams/EDM?year=2018">Edmonton Oilers </a>have placed Benoit Pouliot on waivers with the purpose of buying him out.

He's signed for two more years at a cap hit of $4 million, but a buyout would eliminate his contract and cost the Oilers $1,333,333 against the cap for four years. That's ultimately a savings of $2,666,667 for the next two seasons, but an additional cost of $1,333,333 for the two seasons after that.



Pouliot had been a mixed bag with the Oilers since signing that five-year, $20 million deal back in the Craig MacTavish era. Over his first two seasons with the club, Pouliot produced at a level you'd expect him to. His 0.65 and 0.59 points-per-game figures in 2015-16 and 2014-15 respectively are the two best of his career, but injuries shortened both of those seasons to under 60 games.

Last season was a disaster for Pouliot. He played in 67 games, recording only eight goals and six assists, a career-low 0.21 points-per-game. Of course, injuries played a part in that decline, but Pouliot's frequent uninspired play and frustrating offensive zone penalties earned him a spot in Todd McLellan's doghouse.

The timing of this buyout is somewhat curious. As we've discussed many times since the end of the playoffs, the Oilers aren't really in a cap bind until Connor McDavid's extension begins in 2018-19. Apparently that's going to cost the team in the ballpark of $13 million annually. Had the Oilers waited and executed this buyout in July 2018, they would only be on the hook for a penalty of $1,333,333 for two seasons. Obviously Pouliot isn't a top-six player worth $4 million, but he's still an adequate NHL depth player.

The Oilers easily could have fit Leon Draisaitl's new contract — even at the ridiculous $9 million cap hit that's been thrown around — into their cap picture with Pouliot at $4 million on the roster. With that in mind, you have to wonder if they're looking to free up cap room to make an addition on July 1,<a href="https://twitter.com/TSNRyanRishaug/status/879835652644192256"> though multiple sources around the team have suggested the roster is set. </a>

<a href="http://stats.nhlnumbers.com/teams/EDM?year=2018">The Oilers' cap situation with Pouliot bought out can be viewed at NHLNumbers. </a>

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