The NHL’s annual buyout window is set to open next week, and the calendar hinges on the Stanley Cup Final. With a Game 6 officially guaranteed, the buyout period is on track to begin Tuesday, June 16. If the series extends the distance, a Game 7 would push the opening to Friday, June 19.
When it comes to the Bruins’ offseason priorities, one name sits squarely at the top of fans buyout‑window wish list: Elias Lindholm.
Lindholm is only two years into a seven‑year, $54.25 million contract, and he hasn’t come close to delivering on that investment. The production hasn’t matched the paycheck, and the frustration is growing. A segment of the fan base has already reached its breaking point — they’ve seen enough.
But with Lindholm carrying a full no‑movement clause through the end of the 2028‑29 season, the Bruins can’t buy him out unless he signs off on it. It’s a significant obstacle, no question — but it’s not unprecedented. We’ve seen players waive this protection before when both sides recognize the relationship has run its course.
The biggest obstacle for the Bruins is the cap fallout. Under the CBA, a buyout requires the team to pay two‑thirds of Lindholm’s remaining base salary, stretched over twice the remaining term. His signing bonuses are fully guaranteed and untouched by the process. In practical terms, a Lindholm buyout would leave Boston carrying a cap charge all the way through the 2035‑36 season — a massive, long‑tail commitment for a team already navigating tight margins.
In a rising‑cap environment, the long tail of a Lindholm buyout becomes far less daunting. From 2031‑32 through 2035‑36, the Bruins would be carrying a modest $1,583,333 annually — essentially petty cash by that stage of the cap’s growth. It’s the front half of the buyout, the first five years, where the financial squeeze could be felt. Here’s a look at the cap hit for those first five years:
| 2026-27 | 2027-28 | 2028-29 | 2029-30 | 2030-31 |
| $3,833,333 | $3,833,333 | $4,583,333 | $5,333,333 | $5,333,333 |
And for that reason alone, it’s hard to see the Bruins pulling the trigger on a Lindholm buyout. The cap implications are simply too steep. But that naturally leads to the next question — what other buyout options are on the table.
Another name circulating among the Bruins faithful is Joonas Korpisalo. A growing segment of fans believes it’s time to move on and hand the backup job to Michael DiPietro. Korpisalo isn’t exactly untradeable, but this summer’s goaltending market is flooded, which makes finding a taker far from simple. On the other hand, buying him out and replacing his spot with DiPietro would save the Bruins only a few hundred thousand dollars — hardly a needle‑moving cap solution.
The more practical move — if the Bruins want to make a change in net and can’t find a trade partner — is to assign Korpisalo to Providence. Burying his contract would wipe out all but $1,225,000 of his $3 million cap hit. Factor in DiPietro’s number, and Boston would net roughly $1 million in savings. It’s not a windfall, but it’s a far more efficient path than a buyout.
I don’t see a buyout path that makes sense for the Bruins. The math just isn’t there. But it’s still worth keeping an eye on how other teams approach the window. If a few clubs decide to cut bait, there could be some bargain‑bin opportunities waiting on the other side.
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If a player is bought out and then signed by another team, does that lessen the cap hit at all? What does the player get when bought out, 75% of remaining salary?
No it does not.