Two Players Land on the Waiver Wire Today, Including a Gritty Forward
The NHL season has just gotten started roughly one week ago, but more players have hit waivers today, as fans and teams wait to see if they're claimed or not.
Carolina Hurricanes General Manager Eric Tulsky, as well as NHL insider Renaud Lavoie, announced today that forward Brendan Lemieux has been placed on waivers for the purpose of reassignment. This opens room for the team's roster management for further changes in this season.
Lemieux, 28, has not played in either of the Hurricanes' two games this season because of a lower-body injury. In 2023-24, the Denver-born forward recorded five points, three goals, and two assists, in 32 games, pacing the team with 64 penalty minutes. A physical presence every time he took to the ice, Lemieux was one of the more prominent hurdlers on the team, and yet an injury sustained recently has kept him out of action so far.
Lemieux was picked in the second round, 31st overall, by the Buffalo Sabres at the 2014 NHL Draft. He has carved out a rugged career in the NHL to date. In 307 games, he has 36 goals and 38 assists to complement 548 penalty minutes. The power forward has played for the Winnipeg Jets, New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings, Philadelphia Flyers, and most recently, the Hurricanes.
In a similar move, the Columbus Blue Jackets also placed Dylan Gambrell on waivers according to James Mirtle of The Athletic. Gambrell has not appeared in a game yet this season and, should he clear, is likely to report to the AHL where he is most apt to spend the majority of the 2024-25 season.
These waiver moves reflect the business side of hockey, where teams have to make some tough decisions to handle injuries and roster optimization. The potential reassignments for both as they await the next step in their respective careers affect depth and strategy going forward for their teams.
