The NHL's salary arbitration period ended this past Sunday with Buffalo Sabres forward Adam Mair receiving a one-year, $675,000 contract.
Because Mair's award was for less than $1.4 million, under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement Sabres general manager Darcy Regier had to accept it.
Regier does, however, have a choice regarding forward J.P. Dumont's one-year, $2.9 million arbitration award.
Although Dumont received his award last week, because the Sabres still had another player (Mair) awaiting arbitration, the club has 48 hours from the date of Mair's award (Sunday) to accept or reject Dumont's award.
With the clock ticking, speculation is rampant as to what Regier will do.
Factoring in Dumont's award, the Sabres payroll presently sits at just over $41 million, which is considered already much higher than the team ownership is willing to pay.
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