Waiver Wire: 10/3/24
All 12 players placed on waivers yesterday passed through unclaimed, Chris Johnston of The Athletic and TSN reports. PuckPedia relays that 17 new names hit the wire today for teams to claim over the next 24 hours:
Calgary Flames
F Walker Duehr
F Dryden Hunt
D Jarred Tinordi
Florida Panthers
F Rasmus Asplund
D Tobias Björnfot
F Zac Dalpe
D Jaycob Megna
Nashville Predators
Seattle Kraken
Toronto Maple Leafs
Utah Hockey Club
F Andrew Agozzino
D Patrik Koch
F Ben McCartney
Winnipeg Jets
F Axel Jonsson-Fjällby
D Simon Lundmark
F Mason Shaw
F Dominic Toninato
Tobias Björnfot Claimed Off Waivers By Panthers
The Panthers have claimed defenseman Tobias Björnfot off waivers from the Golden Knights, per Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.
Björnfot played in just seven games with the Golden Knights organization – appearing in two games with Vegas and five with the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights. He failed to score a point in any of the matchups, though he did record six penalty minutes. The 22-year-old defenseman has struggled to find his groove in the pros, recording just one goal and 15 points across 119 career games. He spent five years with the Los Angeles Kings before moving to Vegas, with the Kings originally drafted the defenseman 22nd-overall in the 2019 NHL Draft. He was drafted out of Sweden’s U20 league, then referred to as the J20 Nationell, though he also received seven SHL games in his draft year, failing to record a point in any of them. The Kings promptly signed Björnfot, even awarding him his NHL debut in the 2019-20 season.
While another change of scenery could be enticing for Björnfot, it’s not likely he’ll slot into Florida’s lineup without injury. The Panthers currently carry seven defensemen and have veteran depth on all three pairs, with Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Dmitry Kulikov operating as Florida’s bottom unit. Björnfot will have the chance to compete with Josh Mahura for the role as seventh defenseman, though Mahura’s ability to play on either the left or right side will likely earn him an advantage. Mahura has scored six assists in 20 appearances this season.
Golden Knights Recall Byron Froese, Reassign Brendan Brisson, Tobias Bjornfot
The Vegas Golden Knights have recalled defenseman Byron Froese and assigned forward Brendan Brisson and defenseman Tobias Bjornfot to the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights. Bjornfot’s assignment is part of a long-term injury conditioning loan, per the team.
Froese has spent much of the season in the AHL, scoring eight goals and 15 points in 37 games. He’s also played in seven NHL games, going without a point and recording four penalty minutes. Froese has been a de facto call-up since 2015-16, when he made his NHL debut with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He played in 56 games that season, a mark that remains a career-high. Froese was originally drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the fourth round of the 2009 NHL Draft – getting taken in the same round as Casey Cizikas and Mattias Ekholm, and one selection before Ben Chiarot.
The Golden Knights are sending down two young players in Brisson and Bjornfot. Neither player has found a particular scoring edge in the NHL this season, with Brisson netting three points in his first seven NHL games and Bjornfot going without a point in his first two games with Vegas since the team claimed off waivers. Bjornfot is currently grappling with an undisclosed injury that’s earned him a spot on injured reserve. He joins a long list of injured Golden Knights, including Jack Eichel, Pavel Dorofeyev, William Carrier, and Shea Theodore.
Golden Knights Recall Two From AHL, Place Tobias Bjornfot On IR
Vegas has made a pair of roster moves in advance of their game tonight against Calgary, announcing (Twitter link) that they’ve recalled center Byron Froese and goaltender Isaiah Saville from AHL Henderson. To make room on the roster, defenseman Tobias Bjornfot has been placed on IR.
Froese is in his second season with Vegas after signing a two-year, two-way deal for the league minimum in free agency back in 2022. The 33-year-old got into nine games with the Golden Knights last season where he had a pair of points but has played exclusively with the Silver Knights this year, collecting six goals and six assists in 33 games. Froese has 125 NHL appearances under his belt, many of which have been in a fourth line depth role which is the one he’s likely to fill if he sees any game action. Jack Eichel didn’t take part in the game day skate so it appears Froese’s recall is to hedge against Eichel not being available.
As for Saville, he was just sent back down yesterday and has been shuffled back and forth recently due to the uncertain availability of both Adin Hill and Jiri Patera. The 23-year-old has missed the bulk of the campaign after starting the year on season-opening IR, limiting him to seven appearances with Henderson where he has a 2.52 GAA and a .914 SV%.
Bjornfot, meanwhile, was claimed off waivers from Los Angeles earlier this month. Since then, the 22-year-old has played in a pair of games, bringing his season total to three as he has spent the bulk of the year in a reserve role. There’s no word yet on the nature of the injury and how long he might be out of the lineup. Between IR and LTIR, Vegas now has eight players on injured reserve.
Kings Recall Brandt Clarke, Place Tobias Bjornfot On Waivers
The Los Angeles Kings have recalled top defenseman prospect Brandt Clarke and placed Tobias Bjornfot on waivers. Bjornfot has split time between the NHL and AHL this season, appearing in nine minor league games and only one game with the Kings. He has yet to score a point through any of the 10 matchups.
L.A. turns to their AHL team’s leading scorer in defenseman Clarke, who is currently in his first full professional season. The 20-year-old has 32 points in 30 AHL games, adding 30 penalty minutes and a +4. He has yet to play in the NHL this season, although he did receive nine NHL games last year before being sent back to the OHL’s Barrie Colts. Clarke recorded two assists in his first taste of the NHL but is still looking for his first career goal.
Clarke may have to wait to slot into the NHL lineup, though. Bjornfot has served as the team’s seventh defenseman, and no Kings defender has missed more than five games this season. It’s a solid blue-line that’s received plenty of impact in all three zones. Still, L.A. is bringing up a difference-maker in Clarke: the eighth overall selection in the 2021 NHL Draft.
Wednesday marks a special day for the Clarke family, as Brandt’s brother Graeme Clarke has been recalled by the New Jersey Devils as well. Graeme ranks second on his AHL team in scoring, recording 21 points in 27 games with the Utica Comets. The Clarke parents are currently en route to New Jersey from Ottawa to see Graeme make his expected NHL debut, though they may be prime for another road trip with Brandt now with an NHL team on the other coast.
Los Angeles Kings Recall Tobias Björnfot
The Los Angeles Kings have recalled defenseman Tobias Björnfot from their AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign. This news comes just a day after Kings top-four defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov was lost to a lower-body injury on a week-to-week basis.
The Kings gave a look at how their Gavrikov-less defense would look in yesterday’s loss to the Winnipeg Jets, with Jacob Moverare and Andreas Englund occupying the two left-side slots behind first-pairing defenseman Mikey Anderson. With this recall, Björnfot slots in as the club’s seventh defenseman, another left-shot blueliner for head coach Todd McLellan to choose from as he constructs his lineups.
A 2019 first-round pick, Björnfot’s role within the Kings’ overall defensive depth chart has declined over the past two years. After seemingly establishing himself in the NHL in 2021-22 by playing in 70 games for the Kings, Björnfot spent most of 2022-23 in the AHL. He played just 10 NHL games last season, and this year has played in just one NHL game.
A defense-first blueliner, Björnfot is aa relatively safe option for the Kings in their seventh-defenseman role. The team has lost back-to-back games, though, so with Gavrikov out on an extended basis one wonders if the Kings might look more seriously at acquiring outside help to strengthen their blueline.
If Moverare, Englund, and Björnfot are unable to fill the significant void left by Gavrikov, who plays nearly 20 minutes per night and is a regular penalty killer, it’s possible the Kings could look for the right trade fit to bolster their defense.
Kings Activate, Reassign Tobias Björnfot
The Kings have activated defenseman Tobias Björnfot off injured reserve and returned him to the AHL’s Ontario Reign on a conditioning loan, per a team announcement Friday evening.
Björnfot, the team’s 2019 first-round pick, sustained a scary injury in a November 21 game against the Kraken’s minor-league affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, which required him to be stretchered off the ice. Thankfully, the injury was neither life-threatening nor long-term, and he’s now ready to return to action.
The 22-year-old was already on a conditioning assignment with the Reign when he sustained the injury. Given he was put on injured reserve (but not long-term injured reserve) in the middle of it, the clock on his conditioning loan has now restarted, and he can remain with Ontario for 14 days before the Kings must reinstate him or put him on waivers for the purpose of assignment.
NHL teams will take advantage of conditioning loans to get oft-healthy scratched players some brief action in the minors without subjecting them to the waiver process. During this time, a player remains on the 23-man roster and counts against the salary cap but is eligible to play for a team’s minor-league affiliate.
The Kings initially sent Björnfot to the Reign for conditioning on November 16 after he had sat out of the lineup for over a month. After logging 10:12 in the team’s season opener against the Avalanche on October 11, head coach Todd McLellan healthy scratched Björnfot for a staggering 13 consecutive games before the team gave him some action in the minors.
Björnfot’s short stint in the minors was negligible – he was held off the scoresheet and posted a +1 rating in three games. He’ll now get some more minor-league action under his belt after spending most of last season with Ontario as well.
The Swede’s trajectory is not terribly promising at this point, at least for a first-round pick. While he’s shown the skills to be a serviceable NHL defender, it doesn’t seem likely he’ll ever elevate above a third-pairing role. The 6-foot, 200-pound defender has 117 NHL games to his name with the Kings over the last five seasons, notching one goal, 14 assists, and a -18 rating.
Kings Place Tobias Björnfot On IR, Recall Jacob Moverare
The Los Angeles Kings moved defenseman Tobias Björnfot to injured reserve Wednesday night, according to CapFriendly. In a corresponding transaction, defenseman Jacob Moverare was once again recalled from AHL Ontario.
Björnfot, 22, had been playing in the minors with Ontario while on a conditioning stint, meaning he remained on the Kings’ 23-man roster for the time being despite suiting up for their AHL affiliate. The Swedish blueliner sustained an undisclosed injury on a hard hit from Kraken prospect Jacob Melanson in last night’s contest against Seattle’s affiliate, Coachella Valley, that required he be stretchered off the ice.
Moving Björnfot to IR keeps him out of action for a minimum of seven days. The Kings have not issued a timeline for his return to action.
Already in his fifth NHL season, the 2019 22nd overall pick has yet to truly establish himself as an everyday NHL player. He spent most of last season in the minors despite playing 70 contests with the Kings in 2021-22, and he’s appeared in just four total games this season – one in the NHL and three in the AHL.
While never drafted for his point-producing upside, his lack of production over the past few seasons is underwhelming for a first-round pick. He’s scored just once in 117 NHL games and had 12 points in 50 games with Ontario last season.
His possession numbers have failed to stand out, either. In his lone appearance this season, which came October 11 against the Avalanche, Björnfot controlled just 37.5% of Corsi events at even strength despite starting most of his shifts in the offensive zone. He logged just over 10 minutes of ice time and recorded one block.
Meanwhile, Moverare again finds himself on the Kings roster ahead of their next appearance, a Friday game against the Ducks. The 25-year-old has been recalled numerous times throughout this month to serve as an extra defenseman and injury insurance, although he’s yet to appear in an NHL game in 2023-24.
A fourth-round pick of the team in 2016, Moverare has four assists and a +2 rating in 14 contests with Ontario this season. He appeared in 21 NHL games with the Kings over the prior two seasons, recording two assists. He’s still looking for his first NHL goal.
Moverare will be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights next summer after completing a two-year, $1.525MM contract. He is owed a qualifying offer of $813,750.
Injury Notes: Fehérváry, Bjornfot, Suter
Washington Capitals defenseman Martin Fehérváry has returned to practice in a normal jersey, according to team reporter Tarik El-Bashir. This is an important development for both Fehérváry and the Capitals, as the defenseman has missed the team’s last three contests with a lower-body injury.
Fehérváry is a top-four defenseman in Washington, averaging 18:19 time-on-ice per game. He also takes regular shifts on head coach Spencer Carbery’s penalty kill. Should he be ready to return to the ice, he would need to be activated off of injured reserve. The Capitals currently have a full 23-man roster, so to activate Fehérváry a player may need to be sent to the AHL’s Hershey Bears.
Some other injury updates from across the NHL:
- Los Angeles Kings defenseman Tobias Bjornfot, who is currently playing for the team’s AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign, left last night’s game against the Coachella Valley Firebirds with an injury. He had to be stretchered off of the ice after taking a hit from Firebirds forward Jacob Melanson, who was assessed a five-minute major and game misconduct for boarding on the play. Bjornfot, 23, has played in three games for Ontario this season and one game for Los Angeles.
- Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet told the media yesterday, including The Athletic’s Harman Dayal, that forward Pius Suter would not travel on the team’s road trip as he continues to be evaluated for an undisclosed injury. Although Suter, 27, has struggled to find the scoresheet he has played some important minutes for the Canucks. He averages over 15 minutes of ice time per game and skates on both special teams units, so the Canucks will definitely hope that whatever is keeping him out of the lineup is not an ailment that will cost him significant time.
Los Angeles Kings Loan Tobias Bjornfot To AHL
Nov. 17: The Kings returned Moverare to AHL Ontario after serving as a healthy scratch for last night’s game against the Panthers, per a team announcement.
Nov. 16: Before their matchup against the Florida Panthers this evening, the Los Angeles Kings announced they have sent down defenseman Tobias Bjornfot to their AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign, on a conditioning loan. In the same announcement, the team has also recalled Jacob Moverare to replace Bjornfot on the roster.
Since it is a conditioning loan, Bjornfot will still count against the 23-man roster for the Kings and will still be paid his NHL salary over the next 14 days unless he is recalled sooner.
Since the 2021-22 season, where he played 70 games, Bjornfot has seen himself move further down the depth chart on Los Angeles’ blue line. After that season, Bjornfot has only played 11 games at the NHL level during the regular season, scoring one assist over the last two years.
Bjornfot played most of last year with the Reign, scoring five goals and seven assists in 50 games. Although he has a tremendous physical edge to his game, with the likes of Vladislav Gavrikov and Michael Anderson on the Kings’ blue line, there is not much upward mobility for Bjornfot for the time being.
Moverare was a fourth-round selection of Los Angeles in the 2016 NHL Draft, playing 21 games for the Kings over the last three seasons. So far this year, Moverare has played 12 games for the Reign, tallying three assists in total.