Detroit Red Wings Still Paying Former Player Who Left in 2020

NHL teams operate under a tight salary cap, unlike the MLB, which has teams with ridiculous payrolls.

In this example of the Red Wings' buyout of Abdelkader, who hasn't worn a Detroit Red Wings jersey since 2019-2020, it proves that you have to be frugal and do your best to safeguard your team from pain.

But GM Steve Yzerman has inflicted it upon the club, as Abdelkader's contract has three years at $4.25 million AAV on the bill to be paid before he was placed on waivers by the club.

Now, that pain has been inflicted on the club for the last six years, as cap constraints halt major decisions and give them pause as they have to contend with money going to players who, at this point in their hockey careers, are retired, or don't contribute.

Abdelkader's salary cap hit is still in play for the Red Wings, as he'll affect Yzerman's ability to make postseason moves, as you'll have to just subtract his $1.055 million on the books another year.

It makes you ponder if buyouts are truly worth the cost, when one year of his salary cap hit means paying a rookie, or signing a prospect, or even a meaningful bottom-six player, rather than paying Abdelkader another year, rather than his negotiated $4.25 million salary.

Abdelkader played all 739 games of his NHL career with the Red Wings and scored a total of 252 points (106 goals, 146 assists).

Maybe Steve Yzerman could get Kevin Bahl if he had that extra $1.05 million lying around right now?