Cowen placed on waivers

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

So Clune and Loov both sent to the Marlies too.

Michalek and Hunwick are probably back tomorrow.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

That seems like a fair evaluation. So my thinking is just you wouldn't sweat losing that too much.

Nope. Also, having him clear waivers now can also help facilitate a trade. The team that acquires him can send him to their AHL team immediately, so they don't have to take on the entirety of his cap hit at any point. So, any team that trades for him doesn't have to worry about creating the full pro-rated value of $3.1M in cap space just to have him on their roster for 24 hours. They only have to create enough to cover ~$2.2M - and, while that may not sound like much, it could be the difference between them being able to add that extra depth player they're looking for or not.

But why would someone take a pass on the waiver and then trade for him. I'm not saying there isn't a reason, but I don't know it. Leafs will retain salary?

There is a contract limit so the # of contracts you have is valuable and it might be more valuable to a team to trade for him and move out a contract rather than just taking his on.

 

[Bill_Berg]

But why would someone take a pass on the waiver and then trade for him. I'm not saying there isn't a reason, but I don't know it. Leafs will retain salary?

The team claiming him would need to then waive him if they wanted him in the AHL, thus risking losing him if another team claims him on waivers and losing his potential cap credit.

If the Leafs waive him and he clears and then they trade him, his new team can leave him in the minors, save the 950k against the cap this season and still get his credit next season after buying him out in the summer.

Which they wouldn't get if they just claimed him off waivers. I suppose they risk someone else claiming him once they try to clear him through waivers.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Bob McKenzie ‏@TSNBobMcKenzie
In any case, TOR appears to have little/no interest. I'd guess he gets parked for rest of season. Can't afford inj that would derail buyout.

Bob brings up a good point about his injury. It seems pretty clear that he serves no purpose for the Leafs future, even as early as next season. They're either going to buy him out themselves or trade him to any bidder so they can buy him out. Playing him would be a pretty big risk considering his wonky hip, if he gets injured then they're stuck with him next season. Maybe the plan is to just park him with the Marlies and shut him down there.

 

[Zee]

He had quite the run with the Leafs.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

#Cowen4LegendsRow

 

[Kin]

Cowen, Horton, Torres...the Leafs in name only list is growing every day.

 

[ZBBM]

Cowen, Horton, Torres...the Leafs in name only list is growing every day.

Frattin too sort of

 

[Kin]

Frattin too sort of

I mean except for all of the games he played for the Leafs, sure. 

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Cowen, Horton, Torres...the Leafs in name only list is growing every day.

Don't get the OG, Olaf Kolzig.

 

[bustaheims]

Cowen, Horton, Torres...the Leafs in name only list is growing every day.

Speaking of Torres, he announced today that he won't be playing at all for the rest of the season.

 

[bustaheims]

But why would someone take a pass on the waiver and then trade for him. I'm not saying there isn't a reason, but I don't know it. Leafs will retain salary?

A number of reasons that have been covered already, but, here they are again.

Firstly, with a trade after waivers, he can be traded as an AHL player rather than an NHL player - so, he comes with a smaller cap hit immediately (assuming he's never recalled), meaning the other team doesn't have to fight with the cap quite as much to make it work for the rest of the season. Secondly, a trade means the other team can send a contract back, which is important for a couple reasons - the reserve list and the cap. If the team is close to the 50 contract max and they have plans on acquiring other pieces, they won't want to waster a contract spot by claiming Cowen. They're obviously not going to send a player of value back, but a veteran AHLer signed to an NHL deal? Sure. As for the cap, it gives them the opportunity to ship out an albatross contract to free up cap space for other acquisitions. Washington, for instance, could send Laich back the other way and free up the equivalent of close to $2.5M in cap - and, while this would cost them a draft pick to do so, if that extra space gets them the piece(s) they need to win the Cup, it's totally worth it.

 

[ZBBM]

Frattin too sort of

I mean except for all of the games he played for the Leafs, sure.

I'm talking about the nowness of his Leafality.

 

[bustaheims]

I'm talking about the nowness of his Leafality.

He's now not a Leaf in any fashion. He's a Senator in name only.

 

[ZBBM]

I'm talking about the nowness of his Leafality.

He's now not a Leaf in any fashion. He's a Senator in name only.

Hence the "sort of."

 

[Frank E]

Did he clear?

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Did he clear?

We won't know until noon Monday, waivers take the weekend off.

 

[Frank E]

Did he clear?

We won't know until noon Monday, waivers take the weekend off.

Thanks Carlton.  Well I guess it makes sense that they had to do it when they did if they wanted to trade him by Monday's deadline. 

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Did he clear?

We won't know until noon Monday, waivers take the weekend off.

Thanks Carlton.  Well I guess it makes sense that they had to do it when they did if they wanted to trade him by Monday's deadline. 

Huh, nevermind, McKenzie says that he cleared. I thought for sure the waiver period was extended on weekends, maybe not on the deadline? Either way, he clears.

 

[bustaheims]

Huh, nevermind, McKenzie says that he cleared. I thought for sure the waiver period was extended on weekends, maybe not on the deadline? Either way, he clears.

That changed with the new CBA. Waivers are 24 hours now, no matter what day of the week.