The Buffalo Sabres have claimed forward Jordan Nolan from the Los Angeles Kings, after the team placed him on waivers yesterday in an attempt to send him to the minor leagues. Nolan was a somewhat surprising cut after playing at least 44 games for the Kings in each of the last five seasons.
Nolan, 28, is a big-bodied gritty fourth-line forward who actually saw the most ice-time of his career last season, averaging almost 11 minutes a night. While he’s not an offensive force—his career-high is 10 points in a season—he can still add some toughness and quite a bit of NHL experience to a Buffalo lineup that will be relying on several young players. Buffalo GM Jason Botterill had this to say about his newest acquisition:
We’re happy to bring Jordan into the mix. His size and speed, along with his experience with a successful organization like the Kings, make him an asset to the organization.
There is no guarantee that Nolan makes the Sabres either, but he’ll have a chance to show what he can do. The team may try to sneak him through waivers of their own in the next few days, which would allow the Kings to reclaim him.
Lisa Dillman of NHL.com was first to break the news.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
If only he was there when his dad was the coach