Blackhawks: Buyout Window Day 2, Bobby Ryan Clears Waivers

The Chicago Blackhawks are rumored to buyout or at least get rid of either Zack Smith or Olli Maatta. After day 2 of the buyout window, no one has left Chicago.

After two days of the buyout window being open, just one player has been bought out. That player is Bobby Ryan of the Senators. You’d think with rumors of the Chicago Blackhawks would do something within the first two days if they’re 100% sold on buying out a player. They must have something else up their sleeve.

Chicago has to clear money to re-sign their top guys. Trading Zack Smith would be more difficult than trading Olli Maatta. Smith is the guy to buyout, Maatta is the guy to trade and get something for him.

With the draft just days away, our best bet of any news coming out of Chicago is a trade, as there isn’t much of a rush to buy a player out, without looking at all options.

Buying out a player is taxing on the team after the player is gone, as they still have to pay his salary against the cap for double of the same amount of years the player had left. They just do that at a different price.

The best bet for Chicago right now is to trade Maatta. Some teams could use him and they’d save enough money to sign Dominik Kubalik and Dylan Strome, adding his money to just over the $6,000,000 they already have.

For Chicago to sign a free agent or two, they’d have to move more than just Maatta. They’d have to get rid of Smith and maybe even another player.

It’ll come down to who is expendable? Who can be upgraded? And where does the money for Kubalik and Strome come from? Whichever player helps you answer that question could be on his way out.