The Utah Hockey Club is now in a position to reduce the number of defensemen on their active roster. They have announced that defenseman Vladislav Kolyachonok has been placed on waivers, to eventually reassign him to their AHL affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners.
Utah has carried eight defensemen on the active roster for much of the regular season due to long-term injuries to John Marino, Sean Durzi, and Robert Bortuzzo. Kolyachonok’s placement on waivers indicates the team is close to activating Durzi or Bortuzzo given that Marino has already been activated.
The injuries have allowed Kolyachonok to achieve a career-high in games played this season. The native of Minsk, Belarus, has scored two goals and seven points in 23 games this year, averaging 12:20 of ice time per night.
He has significantly improved his possession metrics, boasting a 52.9% Corsi For% at even strength, which is 7.3% higher than his previous career high. However, considering his relative youth, Kolyachonok would likely benefit from playing in the AHL.
Should he clear waivers, it will be his first time playing for the AHL Roadrunners this season. He scored eight goals and 11 points in 36 games in Tucson last season but has only been rostered in the NHL this year.
The improved quality of possession may give Kolyachonok a strong chance of being claimed. The Nashville Predators, currently ranked third-to-last in the league standings, could be a viable option for him. With Kevin Gravel filling in on the left side of their bottom pairing while Jeremy Lauzon recovers from injury, the Predators might consider Kolyachonok an upgrade over Gravel and a potential seventh defenseman.