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Coyotes Place Kyle Capobianco On Waivers

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Jan. 31: Friedman reports that Capobianco has cleared and will be assigned to the taxi squad.

Jan 30: The Coyotes have placed defenseman Kyle Capobianco on waivers, reports Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman (Twitter link).  The move isn’t entirely unexpected with Ilya Lyubushkin now in Arizona after finally getting his work visa issue resolved so now with him being available, they can try to send Capobianco down.

The 23-year-old has played in two games with Arizona this season and has been held off the scoresheet while logging just over 14 minutes per game.  It’s actually the fourth straight season that Capobianco has seen NHL action but in that stretch, he has been limited to just 14 contests where he has a single goal while averaging just shy of 15 minutes per contest.

He has been much more productive in the minors though, notching at least 30 points in each of his first three AHL seasons despite not playing in more than 49 games in any of them.  2019-20 was his best performance when he had 10 goals and 27 assists in just 42 games with AHL Tucson.

It’s that type of offensive upside coupled with an affordable contract (a two-year, one-way deal with an AAV of just $775K) that could make Capobianco at least a bit intriguing to some teams, especially those who are in need of some defensive depth but don’t have the cap room to try to make a bigger splash.  They’ll have until 11 AM CT on Sunday to place a claim.

Ryan Lomberg Clears Waivers

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Saturday: Lomberg has cleared waivers, reports Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.  Florida Hockey Now’s George Richards adds that the winger is expected to be assigned to the taxi squad.

Friday: The Florida Panthers have placed Ryan Lomberg on waivers, according to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet. The 26-year-old has played just a single game this season.

Markus Nutivaara was activated to the roster and played for the first time last night, taking away one of the open spots that the team was moving players in and out of. Waiving Lomberg will allow them to move him back and forth whenever needed, opening up roster sports as required. The undersized forward faces little risk of claim, given he’s played in only 12 career NHL games and is still looking for his second point. No, Lomberg isn’t around for his offense, but with a two-year one-way guarantee, it seems unlikely that anyone will snatch him up.

In fact, it seems unlikely that any depth skater will be claimed at this point in the season unless it’s a dire situation on the other end. Of the dozens of players that have been through waivers since the start of the season, only goaltenders—Anton Forsberg, Troy Grosenick, and Aaron Dell—have been claimed. Luca Sbisa and Rudolfs Balcers were both snatched in the flood of cuts before the season started, but now that things are chugging along, players have moved through the wire untouched.

Madison Bowey Signs With Chicago Blackhawks

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Jan 29: Bowey has cleared waivers and was quickly assigned to the minor leagues.

Jan 28: The Chicago Blackhawks have signed free agent Madison Bowey to a two-year contract that will run through the 2021-22 season. This season will be a two-way deal with an NHL salary of $700K, while next is a one-way contract worth $750K. That means he’ll carry a cap hit of $725K for the Blackhawks, who immediately placed him on waivers. Should Bowey clear, he can report directly to the AHL or taxi squad (pending COVID protocol).

Bowey, 25, was not issued a qualifying offer from the Detroit Red Wings in the offseason, making him an unrestricted free agent. He had recently signed a minor league PTO with the San Diego Gulls, but will now have a full NHL contract for this season and next. At the expiry of this deal, Bowey will be a UFA once again.

If you’re wondering why the team signed Bowey for two years, CapFriendly offers up a potential explanation. By playing in one more NHL game, Bowey will meet the minimum exposure requirements for the upcoming expansion draft, something that previously only Connor Murphy did for Chicago. Every team must leave at least one defenseman unprotected who has played a certain number of games over the past two seasons and is under contract for 2021-22. Once he gets into the lineup, Bowey will now fill that requirement, even though it seems very unlikely that Seattle would actually pick him.

In the meantime, the 6’2″ defenseman also gives Chicago some added depth at the position and means that some of their younger options could get playing time in the minor leagues. The team is currently carrying only four players on their taxi squad and could use Bowey in that role all season, moving in and out whenever injuries occur.

Yannick Weber, Jacob Middleton Placed On Waivers

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed Yannick Weber to a one-year, two-way contract worth $750K at the NHL level, placing him on waivers immediately in order for him to report directly to the taxi squad or minor leagues. Pittsburgh has been dealing with several injuries on the back end, while Weber had not earned a contract from his professional tryout with the Nashville Predators. Jacob Middleton of the San Jose Sharks has also been placed on waivers, according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic.

The Penguins have seen nearly every left-shot defenseman on their depth chart injured through the first part of the season, including Brian Dumoulin who left last night’s game and did not appear at practice today. John Marino, who has shown the ability to play both sides in his young career, was also missing at practice, necessitating a move like the signing of Weber, even if he’s not an ideal replacement.

Now 32, Weber comes with 497 regular season NHL games under his belt but hasn’t averaged more than 14:01 a night since the 2015-16 season. In Nashville, where he has spent the last four seasons, he was relegated to spot duty on the bottom pairing, sheltered against weaker opponents. Experience at the highest level is one thing, but it’s hard to imagine him being a true fix for the problems in Pittsburgh.

Middleton meanwhile has been leapfrogged by several other defensemen in San Jose, most notably 22-year-old Nikolai Knyzhov who has shown pretty well in the first part of the season. The 25-year-old Middleton will likely be assigned to the taxi squad if he clears, which seems likely given he has just 14 games of NHL experience under his belt. Perhaps a needy team like Pittsburgh would take a chance, but there’s certainly no guarantee that he can even be a full-time player at the highest level.

Tyler Ennis, Greg Pateryn Clear Waivers

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Jan 26: Ennis has cleared waivers according to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic adds that Pateryn also cleared.

Jan 25: The Edmonton Oilers have placed Tyler Ennis on waivers, following another scoreless outing last night in which he played just over six minutes. Ennis has yet to register a point on the season. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet also reports that Greg Pateryn of the Colorado Avalanche has been placed on waivers.

Ennis, 31, signed a one-year deal in the offseason to remain with the Oilers after fitting in quite nicely down the stretch last season. In nine regular season games following a trade from the Ottawa Senators, the undersized forward scored four points. In the postseason he was also effective, scoring two points in three qualification games. This season, however, he’s been pushed further and further down the lineup, playing in just four of the team’s seven games and registering just two shots on goal.

Pateryn meanwhile was only acquired by the Avalanche a few days ago, in a cap-clearing move with the Minnesota Wild. He’s played three games since then, but it’s easy to see why the team has decided to put him on waivers. Not only will his $2.25MM salary likely keep him free from claim, but the team has already gained full confidence in youngster Bowen Byram and because of it have too many defensemen. Moving Pateryn to the taxi squad would save cap space while still allowing him to move into the lineup whenever needed.

While Pateryn may be a tough claim, Ennis could draw some interest from around the league. Already speculation has erupted out of Toronto, where the Maple Leafs are looking for a forward addition. Toronto has an obvious connection to Ennis, having spent the 2018-19 season together, one that rejuvenated his career after multiple injuries. Still, given his salary of $1MM he would be a tougher fit for the cap-strapped Maple Leafs than some of their other $700K forwards.

Evan Rodrigues Out “Longer-Term”

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Injuries are starting to pile up once again for the Pittsburgh Penguins, who had already lost several defensemen from the starting lineup. Today, head coach Mike Sullivan told reporters that Evan Rodrigues would be out “longer-term with a lower-body injury.” Rodrigues collided with New York Rangers forward Filip Chytil on Sunday night, and appeared to injure his knee in the process.

The Penguins’ injured reserve already includes Zach Trotman, Zach Aston-Reese, and Mike Matheson, while Juuso Riikola and Marcus Pettersson could be moved there at any point while they deal with their own injuries. With Rodrigues also now out long-term, the team’s depth is being severely tested through the first part of the season.

For the most part, the Penguins have been able to navigate the injuries and keep their heads above water in the East Division. They sit at 4-2 on the season and are on a four-game winning streak, but still manage to have a negative goal differential. Jack Roslovic, one player they were interested in trading for, has now been moved to his hometown team in Columbus, meaning at least one name is off their radar. One option that could be enticing is Tyler Ennis, who was placed on waivers today by the Edmonton Oilers. The Penguins could potentially fit in his $1MM cap hit and it would give them another veteran to slot somewhere into the lineup.

Otherwise, the team’s reserves will get a chance. The taxi squad currently includes Drew O’Connor and Sam Lafferty, the latter having played 50 games for the team last season.

Jonathan Ang Placed On Unconditional Waivers

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The Florida Panthers have placed Jonathan Ang on unconditional waivers according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. The 22-year-old forward is in the final year of his entry-level deal and will likely be ticketed for a mutual contract termination should he clear tomorrow.

Drafted in the fourth round in 2016, Ang had been a young star for the Peterborough Petes of the OHL, scoring 21 goals and 49 points in his draft year. It appeared as though there was a lot more offensive upside to the undersized center, but Ang only marginally improved his scoring output the next two seasons. Still, after signing an entry-level contract in 2017, he made his professional debut in the 2018-19 season and scored 25 points in 75 games for the Springfield Thunderbirds of the AHL. Last year, he recorded 21 points in 49 games, a much better pace but still not the level that some had hoped he would reach.

Now, should the contract termination go through, he’ll be an unrestricted free agent allowed to pursue other opportunities around the globe. Perhaps a European stint would allow him to continue his development, or perhaps another minor league team will snatch him up. For now, it appears as though his days with the Panthers organization are over.

Brandon Pirri Clears Waivers

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Jan 22: Pirri has cleared waivers and can now report to the taxi squad or minor leagues.

Jan 21: The Chicago Blackhawks have placed Brandon Pirri on waivers, according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. The veteran forward had played in just one of the team’s games so far and did not record a point.

Pirri, 29, has traveled all over the NHL through his playing career, starting in Chicago during the 2010-11 season and visiting Florida, Anaheim, New York and Vegas before returning to the Blackhawks this offseason. Always known for his goal-scoring ability, he failed to record a single tally in 16 games with the Golden Knights last season.

Now, with the Blackhawks navigating a tricky salary cap situation he finds himself at risk of selection by the rest of the league. Chicago is currently using three goaltenders on the active roster, but both Collin Delia and Malcolm Subban would need to clear waivers in order to be assigned to the taxi squad. Given how many netminders have been claimed in recent days, it seems prudent to avoid placing either of them there for the time being. Should Pirri clear, he could be moved to the taxi squad instead, clearing a roster spot.

There is a chance of a claim, but it does seem unlikely even though Pirri is only owed $775K this season.

Julius Honka Clears Waivers

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Jan 21: Honka has cleared waivers according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet. Sometimes, in cases like this, clearing actually increases the trade value of an asset since it can now be assigned directly to the minor leagues. We’ll have to wait and see what happens with Honka.

Jan 20: The Dallas Stars have placed Julius Honka on waivers today, according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. The move comes just as the Stars prepare for their first game of the season later this week and after the team started making their final cuts. The Stars have also sent Joseph Cecconi, Riley Damiani, Tye Felhaber, Ben Gleason, Adam Mascherin, Jerad Rosburg, Ryan Shea and Riley Tufte to the minor leagues.

The focus here will be placed on Honka though, given his status as a first-round pick that never panned out. The 25-year-old defenseman spent last season overseas playing in Finland but agreed to return to the Stars organization and signed a one-year, two-way deal in October. Selected 14th overall in 2014, he has played just 87 games in the NHL and none since January of 2019.

What likely frustrated Honka and led to his previous trade requests and departure to Finland, was that he hasn’t received much minor league play either. Instead, the young defenseman found himself in the press box on most nights, scratched for months at a time. His development has stagnated, though there still may be some upside left in the former Swift Current Broncos star.

For Honka, a claim would likely be the best thing for his career, given that even after this season ends he still won’t be an unrestricted free agent unless the Stars let him go. Getting out of Dallas may be the only chance he has to really play at the NHL level; if he clears tomorrow, he’ll likely head to the taxi squad or the AHL.

Calgary Flames Sign Michael Stone, Place On Waivers

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Jan 19: Stone has cleared waivers and can be assigned to the taxi squad for Calgary.

Jan 18: The Calgary Flames have finalized a contract for Michael Stone, as the veteran defenseman has been placed on waivers today. Stone had been in camp with the Flames on a professional tryout, but like Brett Ritchie has now signed a one-year, two-way contract for this season. The deal will carry an NHL salary of $700K.

Stone’s tenure with the Flames is an interesting one, if only because it continues. He arrived in a trade from the Arizona Coyotes in 2017, a year removed from his outstanding, career-season of 36 points in 2015-16. That offense never materialized in Calgary, but the team still decided to sign him to a three-year, $10.5MM contract in June of 2017. While he played the entire 2017-18 season, injuries and inconsistencies plagued him thereafter, resulting in a 2019 buyout of the final year of his contract.

Just a month later though, Stone would be back with Calgary on a one-year deal worth the league minimum of $700K. Once again he struggled to find much consistency, scoring seven points in 33 games last season. Now, after a PTO, he’s back on another one-year deal with the team that bought him out less than two years ago. Should he clear waivers, he will likely be assigned to the taxi squad as additional depth.

The 30-year-old has played in nearly 500 games at the NHL level, quite the luxury to have sitting around in case of injury.

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