Laich placed on waivers (again)

[Zee]

Laich cleared...

This is shocking.

That must suck for him to realize he's not wanted on any club.

I think its possible that a club is talking to the leafs about a deal that sends back a contract or where the leafs retain...but it strikes me as more of a see if anyone bites after he publicly said he wants to go somewhere else.

Perhaps, but Laich's contract is up after this year and his cap hit is $3.5M.  Given that over 70% of the season has already paid out, his cap hit over the last 20 or so games isn't that bad.  If someone really wanted to have his skill set I think they would have just grabbed him.

 

[Crucialness Key]

I'm pretty sure there's no cap ceiling in the playoffs.

Could this be a situation where, assuming Laich clears waivers, we could then trade him to a contender who puts him directly onto their farm team (like Kalinin), thereby avoiding the full cap hit, and then they bring Laich up for the playoffs?

Well, of his 4.5 million salary, only 950k is saved by being in the minors.  So, you're talking 25% of 3.55 million still counting against that team's cap until the playoffs.  I've only looked at Washington based on this thread, but even if the Leafs eat 50% of the remaining cap hit in a trade, I don't think he fits under their cap unless someone goes on LTIR in the next week. 

For other teams, yes it could work.  Check the last column of the cap space chart https://capfriendly.com/ and find a team thats a contender and has a minimum of $1.8 million in space (50% retention, stays in minors).... or $3.55 million in space (no retention, stays in minors).

Ah okay, so the savings of leaving him in the AHL (until the playoffs) aren't quite as high as I thought they might be.

(Not that anyone's plan would be to insert a new centre on game 1 of the playoffs, but someone might see him as injury insurance.)

 

[Zee]

I'm pretty sure there's no cap ceiling in the playoffs.

Could this be a situation where, assuming Laich clears waivers, we could then trade him to a contender who puts him directly onto their farm team (like Kalinin), thereby avoiding the full cap hit, and then they bring Laich up for the playoffs?

Well, of his 4.5 million salary, only 950k is saved by being in the minors.  So, you're talking 25% of 3.55 million still counting against that team's cap until the playoffs.  I've only looked at Washington based on this thread, but even if the Leafs eat 50% of the remaining cap hit in a trade, I don't think he fits under their cap unless someone goes on LTIR in the next week. 

For other teams, yes it could work.  Check the last column of the cap space chart https://capfriendly.com/ and find a team thats a contender and has a minimum of $1.8 million in space (50% retention, stays in minors).... or $3.55 million in space (no retention, stays in minors).

Ah okay, so the savings of leaving him in the AHL (until the playoffs) aren't quite as high as I thought they might be.

(Not that anyone's plan would be to insert a new centre on game 1 of the playoffs, but someone might see him as injury insurance.)

I mean he's got experience of lots of playoff games.  Back in the old school NHL a guy like him would have been added to a contending team in a heartbeat.  I guess with the new youth movement he's regarded as a dinosaur and what he brings can be done by someone young and cheap.