The Calgary Flames bought out assistant captain Troy Brouwer on Friday after he cleared unconditional waivers.
The club put the veteran winger on waivers 24 hours earlier with the intention of buying out the final two years of his contract.
The move to cut ties will save Calgary about US$3 million against the salary cap in both 2018-19 and 2019-2020.
Brouwer signed a four-year contract worth $18 million with the Flames on July 1, 2016, but never really got on track.
The six-foot-three, 215-pound Vancouver native had a career-worst six goals and 22 points in 76 games last season. In 150 games with Calgary, Brouwer had just 19 goals and 28 assists.
Brouwer was a member of the 2010 Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks. He also played for the Washington Capitals and St. Louis Blues.
The 32-year-old has 169 goals and 172 assists in 763 NHL games. He’s added 34 points (15 goals, 19 assists) in 102 career playoff outings.
The move is just the latest in a continued shakeup of the Flames by general manager Brad Treliving after a late-season collapse saw the franchise miss the playoffs for the second time in three years.
Calgary acquired defenceman Noah Hanifin and forward Elias Lindholm in a trade that sent star blue liner Dougie Hamilton and rugged winger Micheal Ferland to the Carolina Hurricanes at June’s draft.
The Flames also signed free-agent forward James Neal to a five-year, $28.75 million contract last month.