Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Waivers

Jake Leschyshyn Placed On Waivers

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

A few minutes ahead of the official announcement from the league, the Vegas Golden Knights tweeted that Jake Leschyshyn has been placed on waivers. He will be sent to the Henderson Silver Knights should he clear tomorrow – along with Brayden Pachal, who was assigned today.

It’s difficult to play regularly in the NHL and be completely held off the scoresheet but that’s exactly what Leschyshyn has done this year. The 23-year-old forward has exactly zero points in 22 games.

That performance will likely get him through waivers, but it should be mentioned that Leschyshyn was once one of the Golden Knights’ top prospects. Selected 62nd overall in 2017, there were high hopes after a nice finish to his WHL career. Last year he played 41 games with Vegas and scored six points, while adding 27 in 34 minor league games.

Given his relative youth, there may be teams interested in giving him a fresh start somewhere else. To do so, they would have to take on a three-year, one-way deal, though. The Golden Knights gave Leschyshyn that deal – which carries an average annual value of $766,667 – in August, locking him up at a league-minimum price.

If there is any hesitation, some clubs will balk at that kind of financial security, even though there might be a shred of upside remaining in the young forward. More likely, he’ll clear and head back to the minor leagues to await his next recall.

Joe Snively Clears Waivers, Assigned To Hershey Bears

at CDT | by 3 Comments

December 8: According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Snively has cleared waivers. Snively will head to the Hershey Bears, Washington’s AHL affiliate, says Samantha Pell of the Washington Post. No new players were placed on waivers on Sunday, Friedman added.

December 7: With Nicklas Backstrom and Tom Wilson set to return tomorrow, at least one waiver placement was expected from the Capitals today.  That has come as NorthStar Bets’ Chris Johnson reports (Twitter link) that Washington has placed winger Joe Snively on waivers.

The 27-year-old saw his first NHL action last season and certainly made the most of it, notching four goals and three assists in just 12 games with the Caps.  He also was quite productive at the minor league level with AHL Hershey, collecting 15 goals and 23 helpers in 35 contests with the Bears.  That was enough for GM Brian MacLellan to commit a two-year, one-way extension worth $800K per season to Snively, a nice reward for the late bloomer.

However, things haven’t gone as well this season for Snively.  He has been a frequent healthy scratch, suiting up just six times and just once since mid-November.  He has a single assist in those contests while averaging just over 12 minutes a night.  The role he was supposed to fill as a bottom-six offensive contributor has since been filled by early-season signing Sonny Milano and now with Backstrom and Wilson set to return, Washington just can’t afford to keep Snively on the roster any longer.

Despite the limited action and production this season, there is a chance that a team is willing to take a chance on Snively.  With a cap hit that’s just $50K above the league minimum in 2022-23 (and just $25K above the minimum next season), claiming him would be of little risk to even most cap-strapped squads if they’re looking to try someone else in a depth role.  Washington will find out if they’re able to return Snively to Hershey at 1 PM CT on Sunday.

San Jose Sharks Claim Mikey Eyssimont Off Waivers

at CDT | by 1 Comment

1/6/23: According to Curtis Pashelka of Bay Area News Group, the San Jose Sharks have claimed Eyssimont off of waivers. In order to create room for the claim on their roster, the Sharks have placed Radim Simek on injured reserve.

1/5/23: As expected after he was absent from practice today with the Winnipeg Jets, Mikey Eyssimont is on waivers according to Chris Johnston of NorthStar Bets.

This would clear room for Blake Wheeler, who was a surprise participant in practice today, to be activated from injured reserve along with Nikolaj Ehlers and Nate Schmidt. Cole Perfetti, the other injured player who was a full-go today, was never actually moved to IR.

Eyssimont, 26, has played in 19 games this season for the Jets, recording the first five NHL points of his career. A fifth-round pick of the Los Angeles Kings in 2016, he didn’t receive an opportunity at the highest level until arriving in Winnipeg last season.

After breaking out with the Manitoba Moose to the tune of 18 goals and 42 points in 58 games, he received his NHL debut in April. This year he has been a regular since the team lost several key forwards, averaging ten minutes a night and scoring his first goal.

Given his lack of NHL experience, Eyssimont will likely go unclaimed, though perhaps there is a team that believes he can give them better fourth-line minutes than what they are currently using.

Either way, it seems like his time in the Jets lineup is coming to an end for now, as three top-six forwards return at the same time. He’s probably ticketed for the Moose, just as Jansen Harkins and Kristian Reichel have been in recent days.

Cavan Fitzgerald Clears Waivers

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Jan 5: Fitzgerald has cleared waivers and can now be assigned to the minor leagues.

Jan 4: The Carolina Hurricanes have placed Cavan Fitzgerald on waivers, according to Chris Johnston of NorthStar Bets. That would indicate that he is ready to return from the injury that has kept him out all year, and put him on season-opening injured reserve. It was undisclosed, but he missed all of training camp as well, meaning he’ll probably need some time to shake the rust off before becoming a call-up option for the Hurricanes.

Not that he is first in line anyway, given Fitzgerald still hasn’t appeared at the NHL level. Signed by the San Jose Sharks as an undrafted free agent out of the QMJHL, he played two seasons for the San Jose Barracuda before the organization decided not to issue him a qualifying offer. Some AHL contracts followed, before the Hurricanes converted his deal into a two-year, two-way NHL contract in 2021.

Now 26, he’ll serve as organizational depth should he clear (which is all but guaranteed) and help the Chicago Wolves try to turn around their disappointing season. The club sits at 11-15-4 on the year and has allowed the second-most goals in the league.

Philadelphia Flyers Send Felix Sandstrom On Conditioning Stint

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

After activating Carter Hart from injured reserve yesterday, the Philadelphia Flyers did not immediately send a goaltender to the minor leagues. It was a curious decision, given Samuel Ersson could be loaned without exposing him to waivers. Today, they’ve explained why, by sending Felix Sandstrom on a conditioning stint with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. That does not require him to pass through waivers. The team has also recalled Kieffer Bellows from the AHL with the extra roster spot they had.

Sandstrom, 25, has essentially been overtaken by Ersson on the depth chart and has appeared just once in the last month despite Hart’s brief absence. The former top prospect has an .888 save percentage in nine appearances this season and has lost seven of them, looking shaky almost every time he entered the net. The only thing saving him from being assigned to the minor leagues more permanently is his waiver status, which would require the Flyers to expose him before sending him down.

Given that goaltenders are the most frequent waiver claims, that could be risky, though it is rather obvious who the team would prefer as the backup right now. Ersson has played well in Hart’s place, getting the last three starts and allowing just six goals on 86 shots. All three were wins, something the Flyers haven’t been able to say very often this year.

Some fans will suggest that it isn’t even a good thing. The Flyers sit 14-17-7 on the year and don’t look to have any chance of competing for the playoffs, but runs like their current win streak also push them further away from lottery contention. The club now sits 26th in the league, and 15 points ahead of the last-place Chicago Blackhawks. Eventually, they will have to make a decision on whether or not to expose Sandstrom to waivers or send Ersson back down.

Bellows, meanwhile, is coming back up after once again showing that he can score regularly at the minor league level. The 24-year-old was claimed off waivers from the New York Islanders earlier this season and struggled with his new club, failing to register a point in 12 Flyers games. But in 11 matches with the Phantoms, he has nine points and was back to playing his physical, gritty game. If the 2016 first-round pick has any NHL potential left in him, there’s no better time to show it.

Jakub Vrana Clears Waivers

at CDT | by 17 Comments

Jan 4: The Red Wings’ gamble has paid off, as Vrana cleared waivers and has been assigned to the Grand Rapids Griffins. This would actually increase Vrana’s trade value if Detroit is looking to make a move, given he can now be stashed in the minors while he gets back up to speed by any acquiring team. Fabbri has been officially activated from injured reserve to take his place.

Jan 3: The Detroit Red Wings were expected to place a player on waivers today to make room for Robby Fabbri’s return, but no one expected it to be Jakub Vrana. Chris Johnston of NorthStar Bets reports that the forward, who only recently moved to the next phase of the Player Assistance Program, has been placed on waivers today.

Vrana, 26, is in the second season of a three-year, $15.75MM contract he signed with the Red Wings in 2021 after being acquired from the Washington Capitals. The 13th overall pick from 2014, he had shown an ability to score at a high level and appeared to be a core piece for the team moving forward. Since arriving in Detroit, though, Vrana has been in and out of the lineup, and has just 39 games played as a Red Wing. This season he has appeared at the NHL level just twice, recording two points.

This could be nothing more than the Red Wings, believing his contract will get him through waivers, allowing Vrana to get his game back in order at the minor league level. But even with the $5.25MM cap hit, there is at least some risk of losing him entirely. Several rebuilding clubs have the cap space necessary to fit him in, and given his relative youth and strong history in the league, it may be worth the chance.

Through 323 NHL games, Vrana has scored 98 goals and 189 points, a 25-goal, 48-point pace when expanded to a full 82-game schedule. While other teams may not have a full understanding of his current situation, it would be hard to blame them for taking a swing with a waiver claim. His contract, while expensive, does expire after next season and leave him an unrestricted free agent, meaning for a club like the Anaheim Ducks, Chicago Blackhawks, or Arizona Coyotes, there would be the possibility of a short-term flip for more assets a year from now.

That would of course mean committing to a significant salary, though. Vrana is owed $5.75MM next season in the slightly back-loaded deal.

The Red Wings, meanwhile, have some big contract negotiations upcoming, so this is perhaps an attempt to get out from under Vrana’s deal. Dylan Larkin, Pius Suter, and Tyler Bertuzzi are all unrestricted free agents at the end of the year, with the former likely demanding a huge raise over his current $6.1MM cap hit. If Steve Yzerman no longer believes in Vrana as a core piece, he could be looking for a little financial freedom by offering him up to the rest of the league.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Jansen Harkins Clears Waivers

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Jan 3: Harkins has cleared waivers and can be assigned to the minor leagues.

Jan 2: According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, the Winnipeg Jets have placed Jansen Harkins on waivers, as Nikolaj Ehlers and Cole Perfetti close in on a return to the lineup. Harkins already cleared at the beginning of the season but has played far too many games to be assigned to the minor leagues without going through the process again.

The 25-year-old forward has played more than 150 games for the Jets over the last four years, after developing into a dominant presence in the minor leagues. Last season he set career highs with 77 games played, seven goals, and 13 points, while averaging fewer than ten minutes a game. This year the ice time has gone up, but the production has remained limited, with just two goals and five points for Harkins so far.

Ehlers has been out for nearly the entire season and Perfetti since before Christmas. The pair are expected to slot right back into top-six roles upon their return, moving everyone down a peg and pushing fourth-line players like Harkins out of the lineup. With a two-year, one-way contract on the books that carries a cap hit of $850K it is unlikely that any other team will claim him.

Still, it’s not impossible, and that shows how recent waiver claim Karson Kuhlman has played his way up the depth chart in Winnipeg. The 27-year-old is averaging more than 15 minutes a night since arriving and was practicing on Mark Scheifele’s wing again today. When Ehlers and Perfetti return, Kuhlman can move down and into the role vacated by Harkins, should he be assigned to the minor leagues or claimed tomorrow.

Lawrence Pilut Clears Waivers

at CDT | by 1 Comment

Dec 30, 1:20 pm: Pilut has now cleared waivers, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Buffalo is free to reassign him to the AHL.

Dec 29, 2:49 pm: Buffalo Sabres defenseman Lawrence Pilut has been placed on waivers, according to CapFriendly. If Pilut clears waivers, he’ll be eligible to be assigned to the team’s AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans.

Pilut, 26, has spent most of the season in Buffalo after being originally called up in late October. The Swedish blueliner hasn’t been there for his offensive production — he’s scored just three points — but he’s chipped in sporadically on the penalty kill (he averages just under a minute played per game shorthanded) and given his team over twelve minutes of ice time per night.

The Sabres announced that defenseman Jacob Bryson would be returning to the lineup tonight, meaning Pilut’s placement on waivers cleared the roster spot necessary to facilitate Bryson’s return from injured reserve.

As he costs just $750K and will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year, it’s possible a team in need of some low-cost reinforcement on their back end will place a claim on the former SHL star.

The Sabres are likely hoping he passes through waivers and can be assigned to Rochester, though. Pilut has been extremely successful in Rochester in the past, such as when he scored 26 points in 30 games there as a rookie in 2018-19.

The Americans have had the second-worst power play in their division so far this season, so perhaps if he clears waivers Pilut can be of assistance there.

The Americans’ top-scoring defenseman is Ethan Prow, who has just 13 points in 26 games. Should Pilut clear waivers and spend an extended period in Rochester, he should quickly become their go-to offensive option from the back end.

Calgary Flames Re-Assign Dennis Gilbert, Recall Radim Zohorna

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

Dec 30, 11:13 am: Less than 24 hours later, Calgary has brought Zohorna back up to the roster from the Wranglers. Calgary plays tomorrow against the Vancouver Canucks.

Dec 29, 12:54 pm: The Calgary Flames, fresh off a win against the Seattle Kraken and headed home for a game on Saturday against the Vancouver Canucks, have sent two players to the minor leagues. Dennis Gilbert and Radim Zohorna have been assigned to the Calgary Wranglers of the AHL for the time being.

The moves will allow the Flames to bank a little more cap space over the next few days, as they continue to prepare for a trade deadline without much wiggle room.

Gilbert was only activated from injured reserve yesterday and has played just a single game for the Flames over the last month. The 26-year-old has one point in eight NHL appearances this season, averaging just over ten minutes a game.

Zohorna, meanwhile, went scoreless in his five games with the team earlier this month – all five of which the Flames ended up losing. The 26-year-old was nabbed off waivers at the beginning of the season from the Pittsburgh Penguins but hasn’t quite made the impact some expected.

It is very likely that at least one if not both will be back up when the Flames go on the road again next week.

Andreas Johnsson Clears Waivers

at CDT | by 3 Comments

Dec 29: Johnsson has cleared waivers and was immediately assigned to Utica.

Dec 28: According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, the New Jersey Devils have placed Andreas Johnsson on waivers once again, after he previously cleared at the beginning of the season. He joins Max Willman today, who the Philadelphia Flyers already announced would be on waivers.

Johnsson, 28, has played just two games this season in the NHL, after scoring 13 goals and 35 points in 2021-22. As the Devils improved their forward group, he was pushed further down the depth chart and now finds himself on the outside looking in when it comes to NHL minutes.

Given the team also was forced to move Ondrej Palat to long-term injured reserve just to fit in today’s recalls, burying Johnsson in the minor leagues can also be beneficial to their cap situation. His $3.4MM cap hit can’t be entirely buried, but $1.125MM will come off the books while he plays for the Utica Comets.

That is of course assuming he clears waivers, though it seems very likely given that contract situation.

AJAX Loader
Load More Posts

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

scroll to top