What's up with the Nathan Gerbe buyout?

In a nod to the 60's one-hit-wonder band Thunderclap Newman, there's "Something in the Air" at the foot of Washington St.

Yesterday TSN reported that the Buffalo Sabres had placed winger Nathan Gerbe on waivers and would be buying him out of the final two years of his contract.

Not that the news is anything earth-shattering.

The 5'5" 179 lb. Gerbe has struggled throughout his short career thus far. He found himself riding the pine on numerous occasions after prolonged slumps. More than once it looked as if he was headed back to the minors either with Portland or Rochester.

Gerbe was plucked in the 5th round (#142) of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, proceeded to have a strong college career (Boston College) and won the Dudley "Red" Garrett Award as the AHL's Rookie of the Year for the 2008/09 season.

At the pro-level, though, Gerbe just couldn't get it done on a consistent basis.

The Sabres will miss his heart. If you could transplant that lion's heart into a bigger, more skilled player, you'd have the makings of an All-Star/potential HOF'er.

To most Sabres fans, placing Gerbe on waivers, is not unexpected and is easily digested. But the intriguing part, if it's true, is the buyout portion.

The NHL granted teams two amnesty buyouts as part of the new CBA to be used in the two off-seasons after the lockout. Amnesty, or compliance, buyouts allow teams to rid themselves of exorbitant contracts that eat up precious cap-space, ie:  Ilya Bryzgalov in Philly and Vinny Lecavalier in Tampa.

Those two albatross contracts, for example, were both expensive and long-term.

But in the case of Gerbe and the Buffalo Sabres, his rather meager cap-hit of $1.45M is on the books for only two more seasons. At the time of his reported waiving, the Sabres had 19 players under contract for the 2013-14 season and were $14M under the salary-cap.

Only one player, RFA Cody Hodgson, would represent a significant cap-hit to the team as he's expected to get somewhere around $4M per season if/when he re-ups.

With plenty of cap-room for this rebuilding season and oodles of cap-space for next season, the big question is why they would use a buyout on a relatively insignificant contract?

One free agent we know they are pursuing is former Sabre Daniel Briere who was a compliance buyout himself. But even if he received a contract with a $4M cap-hit (which would be rather generous) to go along with a Hodgson $4M cap-hit, they would still have $6M in cap-space this season for two more roster spots.

It's a curious move by the Sabres and logic would dictate that there's something rather sizable in the offing. Why else would $1.45M in cap-space be so important?

Besides Briere, the FA pool is rather mediocre at best, at least up-front which is where the Sabres will be focusing upon.

Impending free agents of interest to Buffalo might be NJ powerforward David Clarkson, Detroit center Valtteri Fillpula and possibly NYR powerforward Ryan Clowe.

All three are in for a hefty raise that should land them in the $4-6M/yr. range, a hit that the Sabres could easily absorb this season and next.

Maybe Sabres GM Darcy Regier has a trade in mind too.

It was rumored that Boston Bruins forward Tyler Seguin was being shopped at the draft. Apparently B's GM Peter Chiarelli wasn't thrilled with Seguin's performance. Chiarelli characterized Seguin as lacking professionalism and the gumption to go into the dirty areas to score.

"Seguin," wrote Fluto Shinzawa of the Boston Globe, "played like a youngster who never had to develop his battle level or hockey sense because of his great talent."

There's no question Seguin has the skills and at 21 yrs. old he still has room to fill out his 6'1" frame. He's a natural center with top-line talent that played on the wing in a checking role for the Bruins.

The catch with Bruins heading into the 2013-14 season is that they have cap problems.

According to capgeek, the Bruins have 19 players under contract with only $5M in cap-space.

And they have no goalie.

Tuuka Rask is a restricted free agent and will eat up all of that $5M and then some.

Seguin, for his part, will begin the contract extension he signed last September carrying a cap-hit of $5.75M over the next six seasons.

Of note. Seguin was selected #2 overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. The Bruins received that pick as part of the deal that sent Phil Kessel to the Toronto Maple Leaves (the other being D, Dougie Hamilton, #9-overall, 2011.)

The Sabres are known for keeping everything close to the vest. Despite all the rumors that surround the team, Regier almost always pulls something off that no one saw coming.

Which probably means that none of the players mentioned in this piece will be headed to Buffalo.