- Despite playing in 33 games with the Islanders last season, Isaiah George was sent to the minors today. Speaking with reporters (video link), GM Mathieu Darche indicated that the 21-year-old had a strong camp but the decision was made to prioritize playing time, something he’ll get a lot of with Bridgeport but wouldn’t have received in New York as the eighth defender on the depth chart.
Islanders Rumors
Islanders Reassign Isaiah George, Matthew Schaefer Will Make Team
The Islanders have reassigned defenseman Isaiah George to AHL Bridgeport, Stefen Rosner of NHL.com reports. As a result, their active roster now stands at 23 players and is cap-compliant for opening night.
Since the club didn’t place anyone on waivers yesterday, their options to get down to the 23-player limit for their active roster by this evening’s deadline were limited. Only three waiver-exempt players remained on their roster: George and a pair of rookies in winger Maxim Shabanov and defenseman Matthew Schaefer, the first overall pick in this year’s draft. Shabanov, an international free agent signing out of Russia’s Traktor Chelyabinsk in July, has been a virtual opening-night lock since the beginning of camp, meaning today’s decision essentially came down to George and Schaefer.
Schaefer was the widely expected winner on the heels of a spectacular preseason showing for the mobile lefty, who’s only one month removed from his 18th birthday. He made four exhibition appearances and averaged north of 22 minutes per game, recording two assists, eight shots on goal, and four hits. While the Isles were outscored 3-1 with Schaefer on the ice at 5-on-5, his possession metrics were strong – controlling 59.1% of shot attempts, 60.5% of expected goals, and 56.3% of high-danger chances, according to Natural Stat Trick.
George, a 2022 fourth-rounder, unexpectedly made his way into 33 NHL games for the Isles last season, his first taste of NHL action in his first professional campaign. The 21-year-old lefty only averaged 15:39 per game and had five points with a -3 rating, but the club liked what he brought to the table and was expected to give him a long look for an opening-night job this year.
He didn’t show out nearly as well as Schaefer did in training camp, though. His possession impacts were middle-of-the-pack; he only got into two games and was held off the scoresheet.
It’s rare that a No. 1 pick doesn’t break camp with his club, but when it does happen, it’s almost always a defenseman. It last happened with the Sabres’ Owen Power, who opted for another year of college in the 2021-22 campaign before turning pro. Schaefer was ineligible to go the NCAA route after signing his entry-level contract, but there was an argument to be made that he could have used additional conditioning in a more familiar junior environment. His preseason action was his first gameplay in nine months after sustaining a season-ending collarbone injury in December that limited him to 22 points in just 17 appearances with the OHL’s Erie Otters. After proving he’s back up to speed, though, the spot was his to lose.
Schaefer is expected to make his NHL debut in the Isles’ first game of the year against the Penguins on Oct. 9, likely in third-pairing duties with veteran Scott Mayfield. Those two have been partners for the vast majority of camp.
Jonathan Drouin Returns To Practice After Illness
- Jonathan Drouin is back at New York Islanders practice after missing three practices due to illness, reports Newsday’s Andrew Gross. Drouin returns to full health at an important time as the Islanders prepare to finalize their roster and enter the 2025-26 regular season. Drouin signed a two-year, $4MM AAV contract this past summer to bring him to Long Island, a solid reward for the player after he revitalized his career as a member of the Colorado Avalanche. Drouin, who scored 37 points in 43 games last season, is currently pencilled into the Islanders’ top line alongside Bo Horvat and fellow offseason addition (and fellow former Montreal Canadien) Emil Heineman.
Cal Ritchie Out Week-to-Week With Injury
- The New York Islanders announced that young center Calum Ritchie has suffered a lower-body injury that will sideline him for at least one-to-two weeks. The 20-year-old pivot is entering his first season of professional hockey, something that is overwhelmingly likely to occur with the AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders. Ritchie is one of the Islanders’ top prospects and is widely considered to be a potential future top-six center. While this injury will slow him down, his performance in the OHL suggests he could be one of the top rookies in the AHL this season, assuming he does not play his way into the NHL too quickly.
Poll: Which 2025 Draft Picks Will Make The NHL Out Of Camp?
Over the course of NHL training camps, there are few more exciting things than watching which rookies break into the league out of camp. That’s especially true for players coming straight from the NHL Draft, who are often making the massive leap from junior leagues directly to competition on the world’s biggest stage at 18-years-old. As the end of this year’s camps approaches, it appears the 2025 class could offer up multiple stars capable of making that jump, and even sticking around for the full year.
The strongest bids for an NHL role sit, aptly, with the top two picks. Matthew Schaefer has seemed destined for an NHL role since he was drafted. He exudes confidence in both personality and performance, and has looked sharp from his first preseason game despite not playing a game since December 2024. Schaefer’s top-to-bottom playmaking and slick stickhandling has stayed effective against pro competition. Even with the growing pains of going from OHL injury to NHL minutes, it seems the Islanders would be foolish to not see what their star prospect can show when the season kicks off.
Michael Misa’s camp hasn’t burst in the same way as Schaefer’s – but his bright moments have surely looked as dominant. He has continued to show an impressive level of speed, deception, and highlight-reel goal-scoring. That could be enough to earn a spot on an already young and inexperienced Sharks roster – though Misa still looks a few steps back from NHL tempo and physicality. There could be merit to letting him work through those challenges next to other young, top-picks Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, and William Eklund. All three have found ways to make their offense work in the NHL, despite facing the same barrier that Misa is faced with now.
Fifth-overall pick Brady Martin could have the strongest chance for an NHL role behind the draft’s stars. He has fit right into an offense of heavy, smooth-moving forwards with the Nashville Predators – and even skated alongside Ryan O’Reilly and Filip Forsberg late in camp. That’s a strong spot to be with final cuts approaching, helped along by Martin being one of only three 2025 draftees with multiple preseason points. He has two in three games.
The other multi-point scorers are former Seattle Thunderbirds teammates Radim Mrtka (1 G, 1 A, 4 GP) and Braeden Cootes (2 G, 3 GP). Mrtka has flashed as a versatile puck-mover for the Buffalo Sabres. He looks like he’ll fit right in with the Sabres’ downhill style, but has also looked a bit too shaky in his moments away from the puck. He seems headed for a return to Seattle – while Cootes is making the Vancouver Canucks’ decision tough. He’s proven capable of holding his own against pros, with the smarts and the strength to keep making plays in the dangerous areas of the ice. He could be the jolt of effective depth that Vancouver’s been searching for, though that could be a lot to ask the 18-year-old centerman.
Benjamin Kindel has also been a standout, showing he has the skill to play above his size with the Pittsburgh Penguins. It’s his ability to work around his experienced linemates that has helped Kindel shine. His snappy speed and smart paths around the offensive end have worked on a high-skilled Penguins offense, though Kindel has only one goal in five preseason appearances. Like many rookies, he faces an uphill battle in adjusting to NHL physicality, which could result in one more year in the WHL proving the best bet.
Each of the six draftees – all former CHL players – have done well to prove their case to stick in the NHL. At the least, it seems all five could be headed for a nine-game trial period before returning to their junior clubs. But with final cuts yet to come, it remains to be seen who will break camp with their new team.
Who do you think will make the NHL, and who needs another year of honing?
Mobile users click here to vote.
Islanders' Jonathan Drouin Out With Illness
- One of the New York Islanders’ freshly signed forwards missed today’s practice. According to Andrew Gross of Newsday, Jonathan Drouin missed this morning’s practice due to illness. The veteran forward has gone scoreless in three preseason contests for the Islanders, averaging 19:02 of ice time per contest.
[SOURCE LINK]
Waivers: 9/30/25
The final day of September has once again brought a flurry of waiver activity. After 22 players were placed on waivers on Monday, all of whom cleared, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, another 22 players are on the wire today, per PuckPedia. They are as follows:
Calgary Flames
F Clark Bishop
F Dryden Hunt
D Yan Kuznetsov
F Sam Morton
Carolina Hurricanes
D Gavin Bayreuther
F Noel Gunler
F Tyson Jost
F Josiah Slavin
F Ryan Suzuki
Edmonton Oilers
New York Islanders
G Marcus Hogberg
F Matthew Highmore
New York Rangers
F Brendan Brisson
D Connor Mackey
Philadelphia Flyers
San Jose Sharks
F Shane Bowers
F Jimmy Huntington
F Oskar Olausson
F Pavol Regenda
G Jakub Skarek
Winnipeg Jets
D Tyrel Bauer
D Isaak Phillips
Some younger forwards stand out on today’s list. Olausson, Brisson and Suzuki were late first-round selections back in 2021, 2020, and 2019, respectively, but haven’t been able to grab a foothold on a full-time NHL roster spot just yet. Meanwhile, Gunler is only 23 and since he has spent a lot of his time since being drafted playing overseas, he’s still relatively inexperienced in North America with just 100 AHL games under his belt.
Among the blueliners, Phillips has seen NHL action in four straight seasons, all with Chicago, including a 33-game stint in 2023-24. Mackey was recalled and sent down many times on paper moves last season and has gotten into at least one NHL appearance in five straight years. Bayreuther is the most experienced of them all with 122 NHL outings but none since 2023-24.
With the belief that a few teams might be eyeing the goalie market, there are a trio of options available. Hogberg is the most experienced of the three with 57 NHL outings, including 15 last season. Skarek (two games in 2024-25) and Tomkins (six in 2023-24) joined new teams in free agency this summer and don’t appear likely to be claimed.
These players will be on waivers until 1:00 PM CT on Wednesday.
Summer Synopsis: New York Islanders
With training camps now upon us, the bulk of the heavy lifting has been done from a roster perspective. Most unrestricted free agents have found new homes, the arbitration period has come and gone, and the trade market has cooled. Accordingly, it’s a good time to take a look at what each team has accomplished this offseason. Next up is a look at the New York Islanders.
The Islanders are a team in transition at the moment, having missed the playoffs last season and winning the NHL Draft Lottery. The team dealt with numerous injury issues last season, as well as some uneven play from the top players when they were healthy. They didn’t make significant changes this summer on the ice, but off the ice, Mathieu Darche took over general manager duties from Lou Lamoriello. Darche didn’t make any significant additions to the roster, opting for a conservative approach to retooling a veteran team that’s in the midst of a transition. The Islanders enter this season as a major unknown, which could work in their favor as they try to return to the postseason.
Draft
1-1 – D Matthew Schaefer, Erie (OHL)
1-16 – F Victor Eklund, Djurgårdens IF (HockeyAllsvenskan)
1-17 – D Kashawn Aitcheson, Barrie (OHL)
2-42 – F Daniil Prokhorov, HC Dinamo Saint Petersburg (MHL)
3-74 – F Luca Romano, Kitchener (OHL)
4-104 – F Tomas Poletin, Lahti Pelicans (Liiga)
5-138 – D Sam Laurila, Fargo Force (USHL)
6-170 – G Burke Hood, Vancouver (WHL)
7-202 – RW Jacob Kvasnicka, U.S. NTDP (USHL)
The Islanders weren’t expected to make much impact in the first round after drafting Schaefer; however, the Noah Dobson trade with the Montreal Canadiens generated a lot of buzz and earned New York two extra first-round picks, which they used to select Eklund and Aitcheson. This move could effectively reset the Islanders’ core for years to come.
Schaefer is expected to join the NHL roster this season and is seen as a potential franchise defenseman. He is intelligent with the puck, agile, and performs well both defensively and during transitions. He dealt with some injuries last season and might need to have his playing time limited in his first NHL year.
Eklund was a draft steal and could be a valuable pick for the Islanders at 16. Some scouts ranked Eklund in their top five a month before the draft, or at least in the top 10, but he fell to the middle of the first round and will likely have a chip on his shoulder as he tries to prove his critics wrong. Eklund’s size is a concern, but he plays bigger than he is and has no issues initiating contact, as he’s a relentless forechecker who plays well below the goal line, making good use of his puck-handling skills.
Aitcheson is another prospect who isn’t afraid of physical play and enjoys mixing it up. He’s not overly tall at 6’1”, but he can fight, battle in the corners, and clear the front of the net. He’s also capable offensively, as he likes to jump into the rush and is a solid puck carrier who can lead the play in transition.
In the second round, the Islanders picked Prokhorov, whose size stands out every time he’s on the ice. He’s tough to compete against at 6’6” and 209 lbs, but he has some defensive weaknesses, as he occasionally drifts out of position and lacks strong anticipation skills when not in possession of the puck. Offensively, his shot is decent but could use more accuracy. He also shows a bit of a lack of vision when handling the puck, which limits his options. All the necessary tools are there for Prokhorov, but he’ll be a project for the Islanders.
Outside of the first two rounds, it’s hard to gauge what the Islanders have. Romano probably has the most upside among the players picked in later rounds, but he will need to add size and strength if he hopes to be an everyday NHLer. Romano is mobile and a great puck-handler, which should create opportunities to play with skilled teammates. He’s also defensively responsible and could potentially be a penalty killer since he’s unafraid to battle in the corners and do the dirty work if needed. If he adds size, the Islanders will have found a steal in the third round.
Trade Acquisitions
LW Emil Heineman (from Montreal)
The Islanders acquire Heineman from the Canadiens along with two first-round picks for defenseman Dobson. In the short term, it’s clearly a big boost for the Habs, but the Islanders did well to get everything they did in the trade. Heineman isn’t a throw-in and should develop into a solid middle-six NHLer. He has a fantastic shot and can use it from various angles. His skating is also an asset, as he has a quick first step and can create separation from opponents to open up passing lanes for his teammates. His skating also helps him bother opponents while he’s on the forecheck, and he isn’t afraid to lay a hit on opposing defensemen.
While he has some strong offensive tools, Heineman isn’t going to carry the play on his own, and his passing leaves something to be desired. He isn’t likely to rack up many primary assists, which could limit his point production. He also experienced some inconsistency in his rookie season, but the Islanders are hopeful he can find stability with them and become a reliable contributor.
Heineman works hard and is quite strong on the opposite side of the puck. However, he sometimes overworks himself in the D zone, which leads to overcommitting and losing his position. With proper coaching, this can be fixed, but for now, his enthusiasm may work against him if he gets too eager when defending the zone.
UFA Signings
D Ethan Bear (one year, $775K)*
D Tony DeAngelo (one year, $1.75MM)^
F Jonathan Drouin (two years, $8MM)
F Matthew Highmore (one year, $775K)*
D Cole McWard (one year, $775K)*
G David Rittich (one year, $1MM)
*-denotes two-way contract
^-denotes re-signing
The Islanders didn’t make any big moves this offseason, but they did strengthen their forward group by adding Drouin, who is a good buy-low candidate. Drouin’s defensive game wasn’t strong for most of his career until 2023-24, when he simplified his offensive approach while playing with Colorado and became much more disciplined defensively. His numbers reflected that change, but his defensive play regressed to his norm last season, possibly due to injuries. Drouin has excellent vision and playmaking skills and should continue to rack up points as long as he stays healthy.
The risk in signing Drouin is that his simplified game was mainly due to his playing alongside top players in Colorado. There’s a chance his weaknesses could be exposed with the Islanders if he can’t perform with their top forwards. At the very least, he should produce .5 points per game, and if he can improve his defensive game to match his 2023-24 performance, he’ll be a valuable signing at $4MM a year.
Bear signifies a strong value signing after putting up excellent offensive numbers in the AHL last season. He will likely serve as a depth option for the Islanders this season but could be called upon to join the NHL lineup if injuries arise, similar to last year. Bear hasn’t played in the NHL since the 2023-24 season, but he was a reliable puck-moving defenseman during his time with the Edmonton Oilers.
DeAngelo returned to the Islanders after signing mid-season last year. He did what he usually does on the ice and posted good offensive numbers (four goals, 15 assists in 35 games), but performed poorly in the defensive zone. He received plenty of ice time in limited games, averaging over 23 minutes a night, which the Islanders will likely try to reduce if they have a healthy defensive core. If DeAngelo can stay disciplined and on the ice, his contract should be beneficial and offer good value to New York. However, if he reverts to some of his old habits, the Islanders are only on the hook for the season and can easily waive him without any long-term consequences. It’s a worthwhile gamble for the Islanders at this stage of their retool.
Rittich wasn’t very good last season, but he managed to secure an NHL contract with a $1MM guarantee. He posted a -11.4 goals saved above expected over 34 games with Los Angeles, but the Islanders probably won’t play him that much. Chances are, he will see limited NHL action since the Islanders have a reliable backup in Semyon Varlamov, who had injury issues last season. This is an insurance signing for New York, and it’s okay, even if Rittich’s game has some flaws; he’s suitable as a third-string option.
RFA Re-Signings
F Liam Foudy (one year, $775K)*
F Marc Gatcomb (one year, $900K)
RW Julien Gauthier (one year, $775K)*
F Emil Heineman (two years, $2.2MM)
RW Simon Holmström (two year, $7.25MM)
D Travis Mitchell (one year, $775K)*
D Alexander Romanov (eight years, $50MM)
F Maxim Tsyplakov (two years, $4.5MM)
*-denotes two-way contract
The extension to Romanov will be interesting to watch as he ages. The 24-year-old hits hard and blocks a lot of shots, but he was also responsible for many turnovers last season. Some might argue that he’s a good puck mover, but it’s worth questioning how much of that was him simply finding Dobson in a good spot and letting his partner do the work. Romanov will face a more challenging situation moving forward, and if he continues on his current path, this contract could prove to be a steal. However, if turnovers persist and he regresses without Dobson, the contract could ultimately prove to be a bad deal.
Holmstrom’s re-signing was a smart move, as he is the type of forward coaches appreciate. Holmstrom plays a cautious, consistent game and doesn’t take many risks or create numerous opportunities for his teammates. That said, he’s a reliable finisher when chances arise and is a strong enough forechecker to be disruptive.
Tsyplakov had a strong first season in the NHL and should have every chance to be the Islanders’ third-line center this year. His two-way game suits the role, and his ability to drive play could eventually help him move into the top six if he continues to adapt to the North American style of play. There’s a lot to like about the 27-year-old’s game, especially if he can improve his finishing and tidy up his penalty habits, as he took far too many penalties. His two-year deal offers plenty of value, and he could be a key contributor for the Islanders throughout the contract.
Departures
D Samuel Bolduc (signed with Los Angeles, one year, $775K)*
F Cal Clutterbuck (retired)
D Noah Dobson (traded to Montreal)
F Hudson Fasching (signed with Columbus, one year $775K)*
D Grant Hutton (unsigned UFA)
F Fredrik Karlström (signed in SHL)
F Matt Martin (retired)
D Mike Reilly (signed with Carolina, one year, $1.1MM)
G Jakub Skarek (signed with San Jose, one year $775)
*-denotes two-way contract
The Islanders created a significant gap in their lineup when they traded Dobson to the Canadiens. Still, they were in a position to do so after winning the draft lottery and selecting Schaefer first overall. Obviously, his development and play this season will determine how much they’ll miss Dobson, but the Islanders seem confident that he can help fill some of the void the trade left.
Outside of Dobson, the Islanders didn’t lose much from their lineup this summer. Clutterbuck and Martin’s retirements open up some roster spots on the fourth line for some of New York’s prospects to compete for, while Reilly had become an afterthought on the Islanders’ backend and didn’t play much last season, dressing in just 18 games.
Some leadership will be lost with Clutterbuck and Martin leaving, but Martin stayed with the franchise in other roles, and the Islanders have plenty of other veterans who can step up and serve as voices in the dressing room.
Salary Cap Outlook
The Islanders are unexpectedly close to the NHL salary cap, with only $1.625MM remaining and one spot open on the 23-man roster, which will likely go to Schaefer. This leaves them little room to manoeuvre if they face injuries like last season or want to make significant changes during the season. It seems the Islanders are taking a wait-and-see approach before deciding on their retooling strategy, and with limited flexibility, that probably makes the most sense.
Key Questions
Will Schaefer be ready to make an impact in the NHL this season?
This will be an interesting question to see answers to eventually. Not every first overall pick is ready to play in the NHL right away. Many are, but defensemen tend to take longer to develop, and the Islanders might not want to push Schaefer too hard, too quickly. That said, the Islanders didn’t make any active moves to shield him in the lineup, which suggests they believe he’s ready to make an impact this year. The difference between him being prepared or being sent back down could make or break the Islanders’ season, which will put some severe pressure on the rookie.
Can they improve their special teams?
Last year, the Islanders ranked second-worst in the NHL for both power play and penalty kill. If they had improved even slightly in either area, their season could have been very different. Moving to this year, all eyes are on the team to see if they can boost their special teams. New York made significant changes behind the bench by bringing in Ray Bennett, who was the Colorado Avalanche’s power-play coach, along with former NHL defenseman Bob Boughner, who was the Detroit Red Wings’ penalty kill coach. The personnel on the ice will also shift, with Dobson gone, but newcomers Schaefer and Drouin could both see time on the man advantage and provide a boost. Drouin has consistently scored double-digit points with the man advantage in his career, and his passing and playmaking should be a welcome addition to the Islanders’ power play unit.
What’s the goalie situation & depth behind Ilya Sorokin?
When Sorokin is playing at his best, he ranks among the top five goaltenders in the NHL. Last season, he wasn’t at his best but was far from being the main reason the Islanders struggled. Sorokin remained consistent even as the team around him faced significant injuries, including his backup Varlamov, who played only ten games last year and wasn’t near his usual level. The 37-year-old Varlamov has dealt with hip issues before, but is now recovering from knee surgery and reportedly isn’t close to returning to practice with the team. This makes signing Rittich a necessary insurance policy, as he could take over as the regular-season backup if Varlamov stays out for an extended period.
Photo by Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Training Camp Cuts: 9/27/25
We are now 10 days away from opening night, now that training camp has reached its second Saturday. Over the next few days, teams will have some of their biggest cuts of the preseason, while also putting additional players up for claim on the waiver wire. Each team’s current roster can be found at our Training Camp Roster Tracker. Here is the list of today’s cuts:
Buffalo Sabres (per team release)
D Isaac Belliveau (to AHL Rochester)
F Matteo Costantini (released from PTO to AHL Rochester)
F Riley Fiddler-Schultz (to AHL Rockford)
D Aidan Fulp (released from PTO to AHL Rochester)
F Konsta Helenius (to AHL Rochester)
F Jagger Joshua (released from PTO to AHL Rochester)
F Tyler Kopff (to AHL Rochester)
D Vsevolod Komarov (to AHL Rochester)
F Trevor Kuntar (released from PTO to AHL Rochester)
D Noah Laaouan (released from PTO to AHL Rochester)
G Topias Leinonen (to AHL Rochester)
G Devon Levi (to AHL Rochester)
D Zach Metsa (to AHL Rochester)
F Olivier Nadeau (to AHL Rochester)
F Viktor Neuchev (to AHL Rochester)
D Nikita Novikov (to AHL Rochester)
D Jack Rathbone (to AHL Rochester, pending waiver clearance)
G Scott Ratzlaff (to AHL Rochester)
F Isak Rosen (to AHL Rochester)
F Redmond Savage (released from PTO to AHL Rochester)
F Graham Slaggert (released from PTO to AHL Rochester)
D Peter Tischke (released from PTO to AHL Rochester)
F Brendan Warren (released from PTO to AHL Rochester)
F Anton Wahlberg (to AHL Rochester)
Chicago Blackhawks (per team release)
D Cavan Fitzgerald (released from PTO to AHL Rockford)
D Taige Harding (to AHL Rockford)
D Dmitry Kuzmin (to AHL Rockford)
F Paul Ludwinski (to AHL Rockford)
D Ryan Mast (to AHL Rockford)
D Andrew Perrott (released from PTO to AHL Rockford)
F Brett Seney (released from PTO to AHL Rockford)
Colorado Avalanche (per team release)
F Alex Barre-Boulet (to AHL Colorado, pending waiver clearance)
F Tye Felhaber (to AHL Colorado, pending waiver clearance)
F Jason Polin (to AHL Colorado, pending waiver clearance)
F T.J. Tynan (to AHL Colorado, pending waiver clearance)
D Sean Behrens (to AHL Colorado)
F Ivan Ivan (to AHL Colorado)
F Jayson Megna (to AHL Colorado)
F Tristen Nielsen (to AHL Colorado)
Columbus Blue Jackets (per team release)
F Roman Ahcan (to AHL Cleveland)
F Riley Bezeau (to AHL Cleveland)
D Ole Julian Bjorgvik-Holm (to AHL Cleveland)
D Caleb MacDonald (to AHL Cleveland)
D Will MacKinnon (to AHL Cleveland)
D Dysin Mayo (to AHL Cleveland, pending waiver clearance)
F Hunter McKown (to AHL Cleveland, pending waiver clearance)
F Ryland Mosley (to AHL Cleveland)
D Guillaume Richard (to AHL Cleveland)
G Zachary Sawchenko (to AHL Cleveland, pending waiver clearance)
F Owen Sillinger (to AHL Cleveland, pending waiver clearance)
Edmonton Oilers (per team announcement)
D Josh Brown (to AHL Bakersfield, pending waiver clearance)
F Roby Jarventie (to AHL Bakersfield, pending waiver clearance)
G Samuel Jonsson (to AHL Bakersfield)
F Viljami Marjala (to AHL Bakersfield)
New York Islanders (per team announcement)
G Tristan Lennox (to AHL Bridgeport)
F Eetu Liukas (to AHL Bridgeport)
D Jesse Pulkkinen (to AHL Bridgeport)
F Gleb Veremyev (to AHL Bridgeport)
D Marshall Warren (to AHL Bridgeport)
New York Rangers (per team announcement)
F Nathan Aspinall (to OHL Flint)
Philadelphia Flyers (per team release)
D Spencer Gill (to QMJHL Blainville-Boisbriand)
F Jack Nesbitt (to OHL Windsor)
Pittsburgh Penguins (per team release)
F Raivis Ansons (to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton)
D David Breazeale (to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton)
D Tommy Budnick (to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton)
F Kyle Criscuolo (to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton)
F Brayden Edwards (to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton)
F Zach Gallant (to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton)
F Max Graham (to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton)
D Brent Johnson (to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton)
F Jordan Kaplan (to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton)
F Gabe Klassen (to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton)
D Daniel Laatsch (to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton)
F Brett Murray (to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton)
G Maxim Pavlenko (to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton)
D Emil Pieniniemi (to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton)
F Zach Urdahl (to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton)
Seattle Kraken (per team announcements)
F JR Avon (to AHL Coachella Valley)
D Lukas Dragicevic (to AHL Coachella Valley)
F Jagger Firkus (to AHL Coachella Valley)
F David Goyette (to AHL Coachella Valley)
D Kaden Hammell (to AHL Coachella Valley)
F Justin Janicke (to AHL Coachella Valley)
D Tyson Jugnauth (to AHL Coachella Valley)
G Niklas Kokko (to AHL Coachella Valley)
G Jack LaFontaine (to AHL Coachella Valley)
F Andrei Loshko (to AHL Coachella Valley)
F Ian McKinnon (to AHL Coachella Valley)
F Jacob Melanson (to AHL Coachella Valley)
F Logan Morrison (to AHL Coachella Valley)
D Ty Nelson (to AHL Coachella Valley)
D Gustav Olofsson (to AHL Coachella Valley)
G Victor Ostman (to AHL Coachella Valley)
D Caden Price (to AHL Coachella Valley)
F Carson Rehkopf (to AHL Coachella Valley)
F Lleyton Roed (to AHL Coachella Valley)
F Eduard Sale (to AHL Coachella Valley)
F Nathan Villeneuve (to OHL Sudbury)
Vegas Golden Knights (per team announcement)
F Braeden Bowman (to AHL Henderson)
F Jakub Brabenec (to AHL Henderson)
F Mathieu Cataford (to AHL Henderson)
D Artur Cholach (to AHL Henderson)
D Jeremy Davies (to AHL Henderson)
F Jakub Demek (to AHL Henderson)
F/D Joe Fleming (to AHL Henderson)
F Jackson Hallum (to AHL Henderson)
F Ben Hemmerling (to AHL Henderson)
D Brandon Hickey (to AHL Henderson)
D Lucas Johansen (to AHL Henderson)
D Viliam Kmec (to AHL Henderson)
D Samuel Mayer (to AHL Henderson)
F Riley McKay (to AHL Henderson)
F Mitch McLain (to AHL Henderson)
F Devon Paliani (to AHL Henderson)
F Matyas Sapovaliv (to AHL Henderson)
D Christoffer Sedoff (to AHL Henderson)
F Sloan Stanick (to AHL Henderson)
F Trent Swick (to AHL Henderson)
F Kai Uchacz (to AHL Henderson)
F Tuomas Uronen (to AHL Henderson)
G Jesper Vikman (to AHL Henderson)
F Kevin Wall (to AHL Henderson)
G Cameron Whitehead (to AHL Henderson)
Washington Capitals (per team announcement)
F Zac Funk (to AHL Hershey)
G Mitch Gibson (to AHL Hershey)
F Ryan Hofer (to AHL Hershey)
F Lynden Lakovic (to WHL Moose Jaw)
D Aaron Ness (to AHL Hershey)
F Ludwig Persson (to AHL Hershey)
D Calle Rosen (to AHL Hershey, pending waivers)
F Spencer Smallman (to AHL Hershey, pending waivers)
F Matt Strome (to AHL Hershey)
F Alexander Suzdalev (to AHL Hershey)
Waivers: 9/27/25
As training camp cuts continue to occur, there will be an uptick in waiver placements over the next week and a half. Today is a particularly busy day on the wire with PuckPedia reporting that 20 players are now on waivers. Meanwhile, all of yesterday’s players cleared, per PuckPedia.
Buffalo Sabres
Calgary Flames
Columbus Blue Jackets
D Dysin Mayo
F Hunter McKown
G Zachary Sawchenko
F Owen Sillinger
Colorado Avalanche
F Alex Barre-Boulet
F Tye Felhaber
F Jason Polin
F T.J. Tynan
Edmonton Oilers
D Josh Brown
F James Hamblin
F Roby Jarventie
New York Islanders
St. Louis Blues
F Nikita Alexandrov
F Hugh McGing
Toronto Maple Leafs
F Travis Boyd
F Benoit-Olivier Groulx
F Vinni Lettieri
Vegas Golden Knights
For the most part, this is a group of veteran players who have cleared waivers multiple times in the past and should expect to do so here as well. That said, Lettieri has gotten into 72 NHL games over the last two seasons and could be appealing to a team looking for some extra depth down the middle. Alexandrov didn’t see any action with St. Louis last season but averaged just over a point per game with AHL Springfield last season and has 51 career NHL appearances under his belt. Boyd was a full-time NHL player as recently as 2022-23 and is one game shy of 300 for his career but has settled in as more of an AHL veteran since then.
At this time of year, it’s sometimes the younger players who might garner some attention and there are some on this list who could draw a look. Cormier and Poirier are only 23 and have shown some offensive upside in the past at both the QMJHL and AHL levels. Jarventie was once a prospect with some upside before an injury derailed his 2024-25 campaign but if there’s a team that thinks he has fully recovered, he could garner attention as well.
These players will be on waivers until 1 PM CT on Sunday.