3 buyout scenarios the Red Wings should consider

Sometimes, teams have to make difficult decisions about the future of their roster. For some, this means parting ways with long-time players. For others, it means breaking up the core and committing to a full rebuild. In the case of the Detroit Red Wings, however, it involves cutting dead weight and moving on to better things.

There are quite a few players on the roster that need to seriously step up their game. These players in particular have been caught playing passively and frequently wind up on scoreless streaks. Some haven't scored in months.

Sometimes, teams and players reach a point of no return where they have to part ways, mutually or no. The first option is to pursue a trade. If that option comes up short, the team has two other choices they can make: they can waive the player and bury his contract in the minor leagues, or they can buy the contract out.

This is what it would look like if the following three players were bought out:

Michael Rasmussen: 4 year buyout, $2.4M/year in savings

Rasmussen, a former first round pick, recently signed an extension with the Red Wings. Since then, he's been nothing short of underwhelming. With two years left on his deal and no clear, consistent spot for him on the roster, it might be time for the Red Wings and Rasmussen to part ways. Should this occur, the team will incur the following salary cap penalties:

Over the next two seasons, Rasmussen's buyout carries a cap hit of just under $1M, while the final two seasons have a $1.2M cap hit. This move spreads out Rasmussen's contract, adding a little extra savings to the team while freeing up a roster spot. The team could just as easily bury Rasmussen's contract, though that would carry penalties of its own.

J.T. Compher: 4 year buyout, $3.13M/year in savings

J.T. Compher is having his worst season with the Red Wings yet, averaging a putrid nine goals and 12 assists for 21 points in 66 games. He's in his third year of a five-year, $5.1M per year contract and, at 30 years of age, doesn't appear to be bouncing back to his career median. A player on a 26-point pace making $5.1M per season is unacceptable. If the Red Wings decide to buy Compher out, they'll incur the following buyout penalties:

This buyout, when compared to Rasmussen's, provides much more flexibility on the cap front. It frees up $3.1M over the next four seasons. That salary can very easily be used on a player that can more than make up for Compher's lack of production on the ice. Next season's free agency candidates contain countless names that can score at a 25-point pace or above while providing good defense.

Mason Appleton: 2 year buyout, $1.9M/year in savings

Of the aforementioned buyout candidates, Appleton seems the least likely. Next season, he'll play the last year of his two-year, $2.9M/year contract. Appleton is primarily a defensive forward and is meeting expectations. He wasn't signed to add some extra depth scoring like Rasmussen, nor was he expected to fill in on the second line like Compher. Instead, he's done what's been asked of him on the defensive end.

Having said that, this is what his buyout would look like:

As far as buyouts go, this is the most negligible of the trio and, by all accounts, the least likely to occur. Appleton will likely assume the role of fourth liner or 13th forward depending on the roster's construction next year.