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Nine Players Placed On Waivers

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After 25 players found themselves on waivers on Friday (23 of which cleared), it’s a smaller group of players on the waiver wire today.  James Mirtle of The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that the following nine players have been waived:

Edmonton Oilers

F Joseph Gambardella

Nashville Predators

D Alexandre Carrier
D Ben Harpur
G Kasimir Kaskisuo
D Tyler Lewington
F Sean Malone
F Michael McCarron
F Anthony Richard

Toronto Maple Leafs

G Michael Hutchinson

All nine players have some NHL experience, ranging from one game for Malone and Kaskisuo to 127 for Hutchinson.  The latter actually started last season as the backup in Toronto but struggled mightily before being waived and sent to the minors.  He was flipped to Colorado before the trade deadline and as a result of injuries to both Philipp Grubauer and Pavel Francouz, Hutchinson actually was the starter for the Avalanche by the time their postseason run came to an end.  While he did relatively well, he still had to settle for a two-year, two-way deal that was ultimately signed to meet a pending expansion requirement.

Teams will have until 11 AM CT on Sunday to place a claim on any of these players.  If they pass through, they’ll be eligible to be assigned to the minors or to the new taxi squads.

Panthers Claim Gustav Forsling Off Waivers

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The Panthers have added some depth on the back end as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link) that they have claimed defenseman Gustav Forsling off waivers from Carolina.

The 24-year-old actually cleared waivers last season and spent the entirety of the 2019-20 season in the minors with AHL Charlotte.  Forsling, never known for his offensive prowess, had a decent campaign in terms of point production, putting up eight goals and 18 assists in 56 games with the Checkers before the pandemic shut down the rest of the season.

While he was in the minors all of last year, Forsling does have 122 career games of NHL experience, all with Chicago from 2016-17 through 2018-19 with most of those coming under Joel Quenneville, now the head coach of the Panthers.  He averaged more than 17 minutes per game and it’s quite possible that he’ll be able to hold his own in a third-pairing role with Florida.  Having said that, Forsling likely slots in as the seventh or eighth defender on the depth chart so he may need to wait for some injuries to arise to get his chance with his new team.

Red Wings Claim Christian Djoos Off Waivers

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The first waiver claim of the year is in as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link) that the Red Wings have claimed defenseman Christian Djoos off waivers from Anaheim.

The 26-year-old split last season between Washington and Anaheim after he was dealt to the Ducks just before the trade deadline in exchange for winger Daniel Sprong.  Djoos suited up just twice for the Capitals but was a regular in Anaheim’s lineup after the trade, playing in nine games while logging more than 20 minutes a night.  He spent most of the season prior to the trade in the minors, putting up five goals and 27 assists in just 42 games with AHL Hershey.

Djoos signed a one-year, $1MM deal with Anaheim during the stoppage for the pandemic, a deal that actually saw his salary drop by $250K.  Had he cleared waivers, his entire cap hit would have been removed off the Ducks’ books in the minors but it’s now gone entirely with him out of the organization.

Instead, he’ll now join a new-look Detroit back end that also now has veteran Marc Staal plus free agent acquisitions Troy Stecher and Jonathon Merrill in the group.  Djoos will likely battle Merrill and returnee Alex Biega for playing time and could now have the opportunity to play a more regular role after spending most of last year in the minors.

Poll: How Should New Jersey Replace Corey Crawford?

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There has been no shortage of praise for young New Jersey Devils netminder Mackenzie Blackwood over the past two years. The 24-year-old goalie has already posted back-to-back seasons with a save percentage of .915 or better over a combined 70 appearances. Last year, he got the results to boot, recording a 2214-8 record – a .591 points percentage versus the Devils’ .493 points percentage on the year. Yet, New Jersey still went out and signed veteran keeper Corey Crawford to a substantial two-year deal this off-season. The move signaled that the Devils do not believe that Blackwood is ready to be a workhorse solo act just yet. So, now that Crawford has taken an indefinite leave of absence from the team, what comes next for the Devils in net? New Jersey trusts Blackwood to carry the load in an emergency, but the club does not want to start off a fresh season already short-handed.

How should the Devils replace Crawford?

Internally

Although Crawford is currently gone, there is still no word as to the reasoning nor any projected timeline for his return. Rather than make a move, the Devils could simply look at their internal options to pair with Blackwood for the time being and hope that Crawford’s absence is not too lengthy. Veteran Scott Wedgewood made his return to New Jersey as a free agent this off-season and could be the top option to back up Blackwood as things currently stand. Wedgewood, 28, has 24 games of NHL experience with middling results. He also has considerable AHL experience, but after years as a top workhorse in the league, his numbers have tailed off of late. Wedgewood would be a safe choice given his familiarity with the NHL game, but lacks upside. On the flip side, there is Gilles Senn. Senn, 24, is only in his second season in North America, but already played two games with New Jersey last season. The Swiss wunderkind has been playing games at a top pro level as a teen as well. While he is not yet a polished product and is still adjusting to the competition level of the NHL and AHL, Senn is certainly not afraid of the pressure and is arguably the superior talent to Wedgewood. Evan Cormier, 23, struggled in the AHL and ECHL last year and is not a realistic candidate for an NHL job. So are Wedgewood and/or Senn enough? Or do the Devils need to look elsewhere?

Free Agency

The simplest way to add a goaltender to the mix would simply be to sign one. However, there are not many options to choose from. The top possibility maybe long-time Detroit Red Wing Jimmy Howard, simply because he is an established NHL goaltender and is not currently tied up in a PTO. Yet, there is a genuine question as to whether the sun has set on Howard’s career. Of the 57 NHL goalies who made at least 20 appearances last year, Howard finished dead last in both save percentage and goals against average. At 35, he may be done and not worth another look. However, 2019-20 did mark a steep drop-off in performance for Howard, who had remained a sold starter prior and was an elite keeper for Detroit as recently as 2016-17. So perhaps there is hope for another go-round for Howard.

A similar option to Howard, an aging vet whose play fell off considerably last season but has a long track record of success is Craig Anderson. The former Ottawa Senators starter is currently on a PTO with the Washington Capitals, though. Are the Devils willing to wait for the Capitals’ decision? And if so, is Anderson really much better than Howard, especially given his greater age and injury history?

Another option on a PTO, though expected to be released, is Scott Darling. Darling spent last season overseas, but is back in North America looking for an opportunity. When last he played in the NHL, Darling struggled greatly in two seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes. However, he was playing in the starter’s role at that time. Prior to Carolina, Darling was an incredibly effective backup – arguably the league’s best – in three seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks. Could the possibility that he returns to form in a fallback role behind Blackwood combined with his familiarity with Crawford make him the top candidate?

Ex-Devil Cory Schneider is also awaiting the results of a PTO with the New York Islanders, but either way a reunion seems unlikely. Mike Condon is another option and while he has shown promise in the past, two straight horrendous seasons make it difficult to trust him. Zane McIntyre and Richard Bachman round out the list of uninspiring free agent options.

Trade/Waivers

Of course, the Devils have the best chance to find a more suitable backup in the much deeper pool of already-signed players. While they could go the direct route and pursue a trade, there are also going to be numerous strong options available on waivers in the coming days, including the Anaheim Ducks’ Anthony Stolarz who already hit the wire today. Here are some other trade and waivers possibilities:

Adin Hill, Arizona Coyotes
Dustin Tokarski, Buffalo Sabres
Louis Domingue, Calgary Flames
Alex Nedeljkovic, Carolina Hurricanes
Calvin Pickard, Detroit Red Wings
Anton Forsberg, Edmonton Oilers
Andrew Hammond, Minnesota Wild
Charlie Lindgren, Montreal Canadiens
Keith Kinkaid, New York Rangers
Alex Lyon, Philadelphia Flyers
Jon Gillies, St. Louis Blues
Aaron Dell, Toronto Maple Leafs
Michael Hutchinson, Toronto Maple Leafs
Oscar Dansk, Vegas Golden Knights
Pheonix Copley, Washington Capitals
Eric Comrie, Winnipeg Jets

With some established NHL backups, plenty of intriguing young options, and even soma familiar faces like Kinkaid and Domingue, the Devils certainly have plenty to choose from. Do they feel the need to make a trade and give up assets? Or can they hold out for waivers? Or is all the uncertainty just too much for a situation that needs an immediate and clear solution?

Stand pat, scour the remnants of the open market, or make a move for a signed player? What do you think the Devils should do in light of the news of Crawford’s indefinite leave?

[mobile users vote here]

 

 

Large Group Of Players Placed On Waivers

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With just a few days before the start of the regular season, a huge number of players have been placed on waivers. The full list includes:

Anaheim Ducks: 

Anthony Stolarz
Andy Welinski
Christian Djoos
Andrew Poturalski
Chase De Leo
Vinni Lettieri
Sam Carrick
Andrew Agozzino
David Backes

Carolina Hurricanes:

Antoine Bibeau
Steven Lorentz
Spencer Smallman
Jeremy Bracco
Gustav Forsling
Drew Shore
Max McCormick

Colorado Avalanche:

Jacob MacDonald
Dan Renouf
Kyle Burroughs
Mike Vecchione
T.J. Tynan
Miikka Salomaki
Jayson Megna
Sheldon Dries

Toronto Maple Leafs:

Nic Petan

These massive waiver placements are no different than the normal training camp cuts that would occur in late-September in a normal year. Should they clear, these players will be eligible to report to the taxi squad or AHL. There are a few names that stand out from the crowd though.

Backes, a veteran of 950 NHL games, still carries a $6MM cap hit on the final season of the five-year, $30MM contract he signed with the Boston Bruins in 2016. As Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports, this is not a move by the Ducks to try and rid themselves of Backes, but create some additional flexibility. At any rate, his contract basically makes him waiver-proof as no other team would want to take it on at this point in the season.

Bracco, a former top prospect that scored 79 points in 75 games for the Toronto Marlies of the AHL as recently as 2018-19, has seen his development stall and finds himself on the outside looking in for the Hurricanes once again. Djoos, once an up-and-coming defenseman in the Washington Capitals system, is now 26 and available to the whole league, should they want to take a chance.

Josh Anderson Placed On Unconditional Waivers

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Jan 8: Anderson has cleared and will have his contract terminated.

Jan 7: The Colorado Avalanche have placed Josh Anderson on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a contract termination, according to CapFriendly. The 22-year-old defenseman was a third-round pick of the team in 2016 and has spent most of the last two seasons with the Utah Grizzlies of the ECHL. Anderson had one year remaining on his entry-level contract but will become an unrestricted free agent after the termination goes through.

It’s not clear what’s next for Anderson, but after failing to make any sort of impression in his first two seasons it seems unlikely that he will earn another NHL contract anytime soon. In 23 games with the Grizzlies last season, he scored six points, raising his career total in the ECHL to 13. He did play in 12 games with the Colorado Eagles and even scored his first AHL goal, but he clearly wasn’t making the progress the Avalanche hoped for when selecting him 71st overall five years ago.

Like all the other players that have been put on waivers so far, it’s unlikely that Anderson generates a claim. Perhaps a job is waiting for him overseas, or another ECHL team will extend him a minor league contract.

Denis Malgin Clears Waivers

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Jan 6: Malgin has cleared and can continue to play in Switzerland.

Jan 5: The Toronto Maple Leafs have placed another depth forward on waivers. Denis Malgin has hit the wire as he continues to play in Switzerland for Lausanne. Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas said he would not interrupt that season for a player who was not guaranteed a roster spot, so Malgin will finish the year in the NLA before returning to North America. To do that, he needed to be waived at some point.

Still, Malgin is an interesting candidate to be claimed if some team wants to throw a wrench in the Maple Leafs’ plans. The 23-year-old forward actually has 192 games of NHL experience and scored 22 points in 51 games with the Florida Panthers in 2017-18. Malgin signed a new one-year, one-way $700K contract with the Maple Leafs in October but was still pushed down the depth chart by several free agent additions.

For now, should he clear he will continue to play for Lausanne, where he has 22 points in 19 games. The undersized forward is a candidate to join the Maple Leafs later on after his season ends, giving them some additional depth down the stretch.

Zack Smith, Marko Dano Clear Waivers

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Jan 5: Both players have cleared waivers and can be assigned to the AHL.

Jan 4: Two veteran forwards have been placed on waivers today, as Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that Zack Smith of the Chicago Blackhawks and Marko Dano of the Winnipeg Jets have both hit the wire.

Smith, 32, was recently ruled healthy for the Blackhawks after undergoing back surgery in March, but may not end up on the opening day roster after all. Placing the veteran on waivers already suggests that Smith is headed for the AHL or taxi squad, though even if he clears he may not necessarily be sent down right away.

Normally a player with 662 games of NHL experience would be a likely candidate to be claimed on waivers, but in Smith’s case, it seems very unlikely. Not only is he coming off a major injury and saw his play deteriorate last season, but he is also set to earn $3.25MM this season in the final season of his four-year contract. That cap hit is high enough, but given that it is all due in salary, it’s also probably too pricey even for rebuilding clubs that may need some more veteran experience in the lineup.

Dano meanwhile is just trying to hold onto an NHL career that barely ever existed in the first place. The 27th overall pick in 2013 has played just 141 games at the NHL level, including just three last season with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 26-year-old signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Jets in November and had been playing overseas, but suffered an injury and was limited to just two games with Trencin Dukla of the Slovakian league.

After going up and down, traded back and forth, and clearing waivers previously, it seems very unlikely that anyone would take a chance on Dano at this point. But if he can get his game back on track (and remain healthy), perhaps he can still be a useful taxi squad player for the Jets in a condensed season.

Florida Panthers Place Ethan Prow On Waivers

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Jan 4: Prow has cleared waivers.

Jan 3: Only one player was placed on waivers on Sunday, with Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reporting that the Florida Panthers have put Ethan Prow on waivers.

With a shortened training camp, expect the waiver wire to be quite active in the next week. Prow will be one of many to be placed on waivers as teams begin to sort out their rosters over camp. The 28-year-old has never made an appearance in the NHL, but has proven to be a solid presence on an AHL blueline.

The undrafted free-agent originally signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins back in 2016 after four years at St. Cloud State University, playing three years with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins team in the AHL. He posted impressive numbers in his third year (2018-19) in which he scored 18 goals and 50 points in 74 games. He then opted to sign with Florida for a chance to break into the NHL, scoring nine goals and 32 points in 42 games last season, but did not join the Panthers in the bubble.

The blueliner will hope to find his way on the team’s taxi squad or more likely leading the way for their AHL squad.

David Warsofsky Clears Waivers

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Saturday: Warsofsky has cleared waivers, CapFriendly reports.

Friday: The Toronto Maple Leafs have placed David Warsofsky on waivers today, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. The minor league defenseman was included in the Kasperi Kapanen trade earlier this summer, coming to Toronto from the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Warsofsky, 30, actually has 55 games of NHL experience under his belt, but likely won’t be seeing the league this season as he finds himself quite a way down the Maple Leafs depth chart. The veteran minor leaguer served as captain for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins last season, recording 33 points in 51 games, and will likely serve a leadership role with the Toronto Marlies whenever the AHL gets underway.

That is of course unless he is claimed for whatever reason, something that potentially could happen a little more often this year once the season gets underway. Teams will likely be scrambling for depth throughout the condensed schedule, even with the added benefit of taxi squad players. Warsofsky, who last played in the NHL during the 2017-18 season, could be a valuable emergency option for Toronto or someone else.

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