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Arbitrator OK's Murray buyout

Posted by Kevin Paul Dupont, Globe Staff June 18, 2009 03:36 PM

LAS VEGAS -- The Bruins didn't come here with the idea of hitting a jackpot, but they found out just after noon here that they won't have to shell out another $1.4 million to ex-right winger Glen Murray.

Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli just confirmed that arbitrator Richard Bloch ruled that the Bruins were within their rights last summer to buy out the final year of Murray's deal, which was to pay the veteran goal scorer $1.45 million.

Murray argued, in the weeks following the buyout, that he was injured at the time the Bruins rendered the buyout, and thus he should have been ineligible to be bought out, per the protections of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Bloch disagreed, noting in his written decision, said Chiarelli, that Murray was too late seeking a second medical opinion, a key and necessary ingredient in structuring his grievance.

''Truth is, I feel badly for Glen,'' said Chiarelli, here for tonight's NHL Award ceremonies, which could see Tim Thomas, Zdeno Chara and Claude Julien leave with hardware. ''But we are just following the rules.''

Per standard buyout procedures, the final year of Murray's contrat was discounted by one-third, and the payout to be paid the balance over two seasons. The Bruins this past season paid him $1.383 million, which counted agianst the cap. They are obligated to pay him another $1.383 million in 2009-'10, which also will count against the cap. He will receive no more money after the upcoming season.

The victory, however, could limit Chiarelli's ability to sign free agents and other roster players for the upcoming season. Had Bloch ruled in Murray's favor, he would have been made whole in salary, but the Bruins would have been able to remove the $1.383 from the upcoming cap figure.

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7 comments so far...
  1. So because of this , we will lose either Bitz or Hunwick .... Jacobs is a cheapskate !!

    Posted by Bency June 18, 09 04:29 PM
  1. NICE!

    Posted by hondo June 18, 09 04:52 PM
  1. wait, scratch that, I had only read the opening paragraph...but now that I have read the whole post, we have to keep his buy-out number on our cap but he doesn't actually get to see any of that money?

    Posted by hondo June 18, 09 04:56 PM
  1. So basically this is a lose-lose situation. Murray doesn't get the money he wants, and the Bruins get another 1.4mil hit on next years cap. I suppose it's a "win" because the Bruins don't have to pay him....but as a fan, I would rather them pay the guy and have it NOT count against the cap.

    Posted by Chris June 18, 09 05:39 PM
  1. Anyone gonna mention that Chara won the Norris , Thomas won the Vezina and Julien won the Adams. I think it's news worthy!

    Posted by John Maz June 18, 09 09:04 PM
  1. Yet another instance of the Bruins losing by winning. They need CAP space. Who cares if Jacobs has to shell out some of his own money?? The problem here folks is Jacobs. Winning is not primary for him the way it is for the the PATS, the C's and the Sox ownership. Until that piece comes into place for the B's, they are fighting an extra opponent and will not win.

    Posted by stan4444 June 19, 09 11:58 AM
  1. Its a lose situation. All I care about is that the Bruins lose $1.4 of valuable cap space for NOTHING. I could care less whether Jacobs pays or not or if Murray gets his money or not. Murray made a fortune to do little after the lock-out. He was oft injured or just plain sucked in my opinion.

    Posted by ferdie marcos June 20, 09 10:45 AM
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