From TSN.ca: "The summer rush begins today as the compliance buy-out period officially begins. All 30 teams also have the chance to negotiate and sign their 2003 draftees, extend qualifying offers and negotiate with their own restricted and unrestricted free agents.
"The deadline for exercising club or player options for 2005-2006, signing 2003 draftees and making the required bona fide offers is Thursday, while the deadline for buyouts is 5pm et/2pm pt on Friday."
You might want to bookmark TSN.ca's Team-By-Team Tracker and Daily Transaction Log to keep current on the latest roster moves. Of course, we'll also note the significant transactions here at the Rink.
Let the mayhem begin!
UPDATES:
- ESPN.com is reporting that the Flyers (to the surprise of no one) have bought out John LeClair and Tony Amonte. For those of you keeping score at home, LeClair was to make $9m this year under the old CBA, $6.84m after the 24% rollback in the new CBA, and was bought out for $4.56m. Amonte (who was one of the players who voted against the new CBA) was to make $5.61m, $4.26m after the rollback, and was bought out for $2.84m. [Philadelphia Inquirer] Rough.
- The Stars have bought out Pierre Turgeon (for just over $3m) and the Coyotes have bought out Brian Savage (for just under $1.9m). [Slam!]
- The Wings have placed Derian Hatcher, Darren McCarty and Ray Whitney on waivers, meaning that once they clear, the team will spend just over $6m to pay the three to not play for Detroit this year. [The Fourth Period, SportsNet.ca]
- The Habs will not be exercising the team option on defenseman Patrice "Breeze By" Brisebois, making him a UFA. [TSN.ca]