NHL Buyout Tracker: Jack Campbell no longer an Oiler

The NHL's first buyout window is now officially open and will run through Sunday, just before the market opens to free agency.

How much of a buyout charge a team gets depends on the player's age.

If a player younger than 26 is bought out, the amount will be one-third of the remaining contract value, but if they are 26 or older the buyout amount will be two-thirds of the remaining value.

According to CapFriendly, here is how a buyout can be calculated:

1. Multiply the remaining salary (excluding signing bonuses) by the buyout amount (as determined by age) to obtain the total buyout cost.

2. Spread the total buyout cost evenly over twice the remaining contract years.

3. Determine the savings by subtracting the annual buyout cost from Step 2 by the player's salary (excluding signing bonuses).

4. Determine the remaining cap hit by subtracting the savings from Step 3 by the player's Annual Average Salary (AAV) (including signing bonuses).

There will be a second buyout window later this summer, but those will only be allowed for teams that have one or more players file for arbitration. And the only contracts that would be eligible to be bought out in that second window would be ones with a cap hit greater than $4 million.

Here you'll find the latest players who have been bought out, including the details of why and what the remaining cap impact is on their former teams.

JACK CAMPBELL, EDMONTON OILERS
Contract status at time of buyout: Three years, $5 million cap hit

Notes: Ten years after he was drafted 11th overall by Dallas, Jack Campbell seemed to be hitting his stride in the NHL and was beginning to take over the crease in Toronto. From when he was traded to the Leafs in 2020, to when he left as a free agent after the 2021-22 season, Campbell played 97 games and posted a .913 save percentage, which earned him a five-year, $25 million contract from the Oilers. However, he never got off the ground there and spent most of this past season in the AHL as Stuart Skinner rose the ranks to take over in the crease. With Calvin Pickard assuming backup duties and re-signing for two more years the writing was on the wall for the 32-year-old Campbell. Edmonton will save $1.1 million, $2.3 million and $2.6 million on the cap for the next three years before being charged with a $1.5 million penalty for the buyout from 2027-28 through 2029-30.

NATE SCHMIDT, WINNIPEG JETS

Contract status at time of buyout: One year, $5.95 million cap hit

Notes: A beloved player in Washington, Schmidt was left exposed to the Vegas Golden Knights in their expansion draft and scooped up as a top four blueliner. They're the team that gave him the contract being bought out today, a six-year, $35.7 million pact. Over the life of the deal, Schmidt played for Vegas, Vancouver and Winnipeg, where his ice time fell to a low 16:49 average this past season. A great personality wherever he goes, the 32-year-old surely is still a fit in a depth role with the ability for some special teams time in a pinch elsewhere. The contract just became too much for the Jets to have on the books for one more season. Winnipeg will save $3.2 million in cap space next season before getting charged a $1.6 million penalty in 2025-26.

ADAM BOQVIST, COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS
Contract status at time of buyout: One year, $2.6 million cap hit

Notes: Still just 23 years old, Boqvist's buyout will only get charged for one-third the remaining value as opposed to the usual two-thirds. This means the Blue Jackets will actually get a small cap credit next season (saving more money than they would have paid Boqvist), before a $533,334 penalty goes on the books in 2025-26. The eighth overall pick in 2018, Boqvist was part of the package Columbus acquired in the Seth Jones trade, along with a first- and second-round pick.

JEFF SKINNER, BUFFALO SABRES
Contract status at time of buyout: Three years, $9 million cap hit

Notes: Skinner was traded from Carolina to Buffalo in 2019 and went on to score 40 goals in his first season with the team. The following summer, Skinner signed an eight-year extension with Buffalo that came with a $9 million cap hit. Though he didn't score 40 again, Skinner approached it twice, with 33 goals in 2021-22 and 35 goals in 2022-23. This past season he scored 24 times, and while some other team will surely find value in Skinner at a reduced cost, the Sabres elected to move on and used the additional cap space to address other roster needs. Buffalo now has just over $7.5 million in extra space to use.

CAM ATKINSON, PHILADELPHIA FLYERS
Contract status at time of buyout: One year, $5.875 million cap hit

Notes: A long-time Columbus Blue Jacket and one-time 41-goal scorer for the team, Cam Atkinson was traded to Philadelphia on Day 2 of the 2021 draft in exchange for Jakub Voracek. In his first year with the Flyers, Atkinson scored 23 goals in 73 games, however a neck injury forced him to miss the entire 2022-23 season. This past season, Atkinson scored 13 times in 70 games and was made a healthy scratch on occasion. Now, the Flyers decided to buy out the final season of his contract, saving just over $3.5 million against the cap and making the 35-year-old an unrestricted free agent.

RYAN SUTER, DALLAS STARS
Contract status at time of buyout: One year, $3.65 million cap hit

Notes: A huge minute muncher for much of his career, Suter averaged 18:56 for the Stars in 2023-24 and fell to the third pair. The 39-year-old joins a short list of players who have been bought out twice, joining Tony DeAngelo. Suter had previously been bought out by the Minnesota Wild in 2021, a charge that is still on their books today.