It is a busy waiver day for Ottawa today. After officially placing Matt Murray on waivers, the Senators have claimed center Adam Gaudette off waivers from the Blackhawks, reports TSN’s Chris Johnston (Twitter link).
Chicago acquired Gaudette at the trade deadline last season from Vancouver in exchange for Matthew Highmore. He played in seven games down the stretch last season and did well, collecting four points which was good enough to earn him a qualifying offer for just under $1MM which he accepted in July. However, things haven’t gone as well this season as he has played in just eight games – recording only two points – and spending the rest of the time as a healthy scratch.
Gaudette’s agent Matt Keator told Scott Powers of The Athletic (subscription link) that GM Kyle Davidson was doing Gaudette a favor by putting him on waivers so that he could go somewhere where he could play more regularly. He should get that opportunity in Ottawa, a team that has shuffled quite a few players in and out of their bottom six in the early going this season.
The 25-year-old will once again be a restricted free agent this summer with a $1MM qualifying offer. Gaudette will also have salary arbitration eligibility so he will need to be more productive with the Sens than he was with the Blackhawks in order to be tendered in July.
Nice pickup for the Sens. He can play centre or wing. He’s got some potential still I think. Just needs a change of scenery. Hopefully he’s just a later bloomer. Low risk move here.
I think he just needs ice time, is all. Likely to get it in Ottawa.