It’s a bustling day on the NHL waiver wire as the March 8 trade deadline approaches. Among the five players placed on waivers who could potentially be sent to the AHL on Wednesday at 2 p.m.
ET if they clear, Edmonton Oilers forward Sam Gagner, a seasoned NHL player with 1,000 games under his belt, is one. Additionally, two players who were waived on Monday have already been claimed by other teams.
The Calgary Flames secured defenseman Joel Hanley off waivers from the Dallas Stars, while the Washington Capitals acquired forward Matthew Phillips from the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Phillips, aged 25, was initially acquired off waivers by the Penguins from the Capitals in mid-February. During his tenure with the Capitals, he tallied one goal and five points across 27 games, with an average ice time of 10:16 per game.
While playing for the Caps, he occasionally found himself on a line with Dylan Strome and Sonny Milano, and also shared shifts with Strome and Alexander Ovechkin. Despite his short stint with the Penguins, the 2023 AHL first-team all-star managed to appear in only three games and registered four shots.
Hanley, aged 32, now joins the Flames after being associated with the Stars organization since the 2018-19 season. In the current season, he participated in 32 games for Dallas, averaging 13:41 of ice time per game.
During this time, he contributed three assists, 36 hits, and 32 shot blocks. A left-shot defenseman, Hanley has been active in the NHL for the past four seasons.
With the Flames recently trading right-shot defenseman Chris Tanev to the Stars, Hanley’s addition further bolsters Calgary’s defensive lineup, complementing Artem Grushnikov acquired in the initial deal.
Only time will reveal whether Gagner and four other players will transition to new teams come Wednesday. Gagner, aged 34, is currently in his third tenure with the Oilers over his 16-year NHL career, having participated in 1,042 regular-season games and amassing 529 points thus far.
In the ongoing season, he has registered five goals and 10 points across 27 games, with an average ice time of just over 10 minutes per game. Before securing an NHL contract, Gagner briefly played three games in October with the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors, where he notched five points.
Meanwhile, the Hurricanes have waived forward Max Comtois following his signing of a two-way contract for the remainder of the year. Comtois has spent the season with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves, where he has posted impressive numbers with 12 goals and 16 assists, totaling 28 points in 45 games. The 25-year-old forward boasts 210 games of NHL experience, all with the Anaheim Ducks, accumulating 38 career goals and 86 points.
Additionally, Minnesota Wild forwards Vinni Lettieri and Jacob Lucchini have also been placed on waivers. Lucchini, aged 28, has divided his season between the NHL and AHL, tallying two points in 21 games for Minnesota and 23 points in 30 games for the Iowa Wild. Lettieri, aged 29, has recorded seven points in 32 games for Minnesota and eight points in 10 games for Iowa.
Furthermore, Guillaume Brisebois, aged 26, has been on long-term injured reserve this season due to an upper-body injury. The Vancouver Canucks have placed him on waivers for assignment to AHL Abbotsford. Brisebois notched his first three NHL points last season in 17 games.
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