The Detroit Red Wings will have three players on their payroll next season who'll never play a game.
Tuesday’s announcement that general manager Steve Yzerman had placed veteran forward Justin Abdelkader on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a buyout saddles the Wings with a cap hit for the next six seasons, because Abdelkader has three years left on a seven-year, $29.75 million extension he signed in November 2015.
Buying out Abdelkader, 33, will count against the cap through 2025-26: $1.81 million in 2020-21, $2.31 million in 2021-22 and 2022-23, and $1.1 million the following three years.