In Guerin’s eyes, it was now or never with Suter because the way both contracts were structured, the Wild were only able to get $5.16 million worth of cap relief this summer in a buyout — or $10.33 million by buying out both.
There would be no real benefit to buying out either in future years.
The issue the buyouts create, however, is that relief dips to $1.16 million apiece in 2022-23, then only $167,000 apiece in 2023-24 and 2024-25. The Wild will then carry $1.67 million ($833,333 apiece) of dead cap charges in 2025-26, 2026-27, 2027-28 and 2028-29.
All of this means, in Year 2, the Wild will be charged $12.74 million for Parise and Suter to not play for them, then $14.74 million in Years 3 and 4.
That could create a serious cap crunch that may inhibit the Wild’s ability to swing for the fences on any player that carries a hefty cap hit during those seasons.