Toronto Maple Leafs GM Lou Lamoriello announced in a post-deadline press conference that forward Jared Cowen, acquired in the Dion Phaneuf trade, will not play another game this season. The team will buy out his contract on July 1st.
Jared Cowen won’t play again this season because #leafs intend to buy him out in June.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) February 29, 2016
Jared Cowen to be Bought Out
Cowen was drafted 9th overall by the Senators in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft and was predicted to be the big top 4 defenseman to replace career Senators Chris Phillips. But at already 25, it does not seem likely that he could fill those skates.
Not only is he considered a bust, but he has suffered numerous injuries in his young career, missing 83 total games in the past 4 seasons, including 41 games in the lockout shortened year of 2012-13. In 249 NHL career games, he has amassed 15 goals and 46 points along with 174 PIM.
After being traded to the Maple Leafs, he has been a healthy scratch and was recently put on waivers but went untouched. Cowen has one more year remaining on his four-year, $12.4 million dollar contract, which carries a $3.1 million AAV. Due to the heavy front loading on Cowen’s contract, when he is bought out this summer, the team doing the buyout would receive a cap credit in 2016-17 before taking a small cap hit in 2107-18, which may make him an attractive in dealing with a summer cap crunch.
Main Photo Credit:
Main Photo Caption: OTTAWA, ON – JANUARY 24: Jared Cowen #2 of the Ottawa Senators skates against the New York Rangers during an NHL game at Canadian Tire Centre on January 24, 2016 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images)
