Veteran defenseman Matt Carle is being bought out by the Lightning, giving the team much-needed cap relief as it tries to sign other restricted free agents.
Carle, 31, was Tampa Bay's highest paid defenseman last season at $5.5 million, but his role was declining, often a healthy scratch, including in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final. His buyout would save $3.67 million off the cap the next two seasons, his buyout spread out over the next four at $1.833 cap hit each season.
With the emergence of prospect Slater Koekkoek, who got key playing time in the playoffs, he should get a shot at cracking the top-six/seven next season, along with Nikita Nesterov, who is a restricted free agent.