With just a few days before the start of the regular season, a huge number of players have been placed on waivers. The full list includes:
Anaheim Ducks:
Anthony Stolarz
Andy Welinski
Christian Djoos
Andrew Poturalski
Chase De Leo
Vinni Lettieri
Sam Carrick
Andrew Agozzino
David Backes
Carolina Hurricanes:
Antoine Bibeau
Steven Lorentz
Spencer Smallman
Jeremy Bracco
Gustav Forsling
Drew Shore
Max McCormick
Colorado Avalanche:
Jacob MacDonald
Dan Renouf
Kyle Burroughs
Mike Vecchione
T.J. Tynan
Miikka Salomaki
Jayson Megna
Sheldon Dries
Toronto Maple Leafs:
These massive waiver placements are no different than the normal training camp cuts that would occur in late-September in a normal year. Should they clear, these players will be eligible to report to the taxi squad or AHL. There are a few names that stand out from the crowd though.
Backes, a veteran of 950 NHL games, still carries a $6MM cap hit on the final season of the five-year, $30MM contract he signed with the Boston Bruins in 2016. As Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports, this is not a move by the Ducks to try and rid themselves of Backes, but create some additional flexibility. At any rate, his contract basically makes him waiver-proof as no other team would want to take it on at this point in the season.
Bracco, a former top prospect that scored 79 points in 75 games for the Toronto Marlies of the AHL as recently as 2018-19, has seen his development stall and finds himself on the outside looking in for the Hurricanes once again. Djoos, once an up-and-coming defenseman in the Washington Capitals system, is now 26 and available to the whole league, should they want to take a chance.
Oh no not nic petan
Right! Toronto can’t win a cup without Nic Petan. Should be sending Matthews to the taxi squad with a moustache like that.
someone should give Bracco a chance
Why? He’s so darn good of a player that it has earned him how many NHL games so far???
For 2-3 years leaf fans were calling this guy a top prospect. But he is to slow and needs to learn defensive hockey for the big show.
But I see Petan who the leafs Stole from the jets is turning out for them.
Leaf fans, gotta love listening to them.
I won’t lie I’m as anti-leafs as they come, but I truly think somebody needs to give bracco a shot. Anybody who gets 79 points in 75 games in AHL has offensive chops. I wonder if he’s got a ho-sang attitude problem or doesn’t play defense?
Dudes been a bar star ever since he signed in Toronto. If he was more worried about hockey then booze and drugs he’d have been on the roster.
Really? Interesting. That would do it. Teams want guys who are serious about playing hockey, not living the life.
Christian Djoos deserves a chance I’ve never understood why he’s been passed around so much.