Sunday: Nygard has cleared waivers, as expected. It remains to be seen what comes next for the Oilers forward, whose waiver placement this time around was not necessary for any roster maintenance requirements.
Saturday: The Oilers have been placing veterans on waivers throughout the season to give them roster flexibility and they have done so again as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link) that Joakim Nygard has been placed on waivers.
A year ago, the 28-year-old showed a bit of promise in a limited role, notching nine points (3-6-9) in 33 games, most of which were spent on the fourth line. That was enough to earn him a one-year, $875K extension, one that actually represented a small dip in pay from the $925K he made on his entry-level deal. However, things haven’t gone as well this season. He cleared waivers back in January and has played in just six games with Edmonton after suiting up for 15 with Farjestad of the SHL prior to the start of the NHL campaign.
Interestingly enough, this isn’t a waiver placement to get Nygard to the taxi squad as he already is there now. Assuming he clears once more though, his clock will be reset, meaning he can play in up to nine games before needing to clear again.