Red Wings to Buy Out Colaiacovo

The Detroit Red Wings will place defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo on waivers on Wednesday, intending to use one of their two compliance buyouts on him should he clear.

The NHL’s new collective bargaining agreement allows for two compliance buyouts per team. Compliance buyouts will not count against the salary cap.

Colaiacovo was signed to a two-year, $5 million contract on September 14, 2012, just before the start of the lockout that cost the league half of its season. He was injured in just the second game of the season and played only six games before the start of the playoffs. The injury to Danny DeKeyser made room for him in the lineup at the end of Detroit’s first round series with Anaheim and he remained in for the entirety of the seven-game second round matchup with Chicago.

The Red Wings had been expected to use their second compliance buyout on forward Mikael Samuelsson but his injured pectoral muscle makes him ineligible to be bought out. Contrary to speculation, forward Todd Bertuzzi will not be bought out in his place. The team may save the second buyout for the 2014 offseason.