Music: {allcanada} OILERS HAVE TWO-WEEK WINDOW TO BUY OUT BLUELINER SOURAY

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

{allcanada} OILERS HAVE TWO-WEEK WINDOW TO BUY OUT BLUELINER SOURAY

The Edmonton Oilers have a two-week window, beginning Wednesday, in which they can buy out the contract of defenceman Sheldon Souray at two-thirds the cost of his salary.

The blueliner, who turns 35 next month, did not appear in the NHL last season. He played 40 games for the AHL's Hershey Bears and scored four goals and 15 assists.

Souray was sent to the minors by Edmonton last October after he had earlier criticized the team for how they treated him while he was injured. Souray had also demanded a trade at the end of the 2009-10 season.

Souray was twice placed on waivers last season and attracted no takers from around the NHL.

He signed a five-year, $27 million contract with the Oilers as an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2007. He has one season and $4.5 million remaining on his deal, which includes a cap hit of $5.4 million for any team that is willing to take him.

A buyout would cost the Oilers $3 million.