When Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Todd Fedoruk was put on waivers, it was not a big leap to assume the team did so with the intention of buying him out if he cleared. No assumptions needed now as Fedoruk said on Tuesday he was told by general manager Steve Yzerman that was the plan.

Fedoruk sounded down but certainly not out on the phone.

"That's part of the business," he said from his New Jersey home. "That's part of hockey. It just comes with the territory."

Fedoruk is scheduled to make $1.125 million next season, the last of his contract. A buyout, at two-thirds salary spread out over double the remaining life of the contract would pay about $753,000 or about $376,000 a season. That would save the Lightning about $750,000 toward next season's payroll and cap number.

Fedoruk would be an unrestricted free agent, free to sign with any team.

"Hockey players are resilient people," he said. "They have to be because of situations like this."