Speculation: Who will be the best players on waivers before the season?

[VanillaCoke]

I’m not seeing Del Zotto, as he was pretty good last year.

MDZ has been low key pretty decent for several years. I think he's a good pickup for Ottawa and will be a mainstay on the blueline.
He's nowhere near sbisa and Gudbranson level bad.

 

[Mitch nylander]

You think they go 8 D? I feel like he and Robertson stick as the extra forwards

We only have the cap space for 1 forward & 1 d so I'd expect Engvall and Menell

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

Skinner

 

[Stuzchuk]

Ottawa might have a few...
Logan Brown, C
Victor Mete, LHD
Nick Holden, LHD
Josh Brown, RHD

 

[CupInSIX]

Ottawa might have a few...
Logan Brown, C
Victor Mete, LHD
Nick Holden, LHD
Josh Brown, RHD

Welcome back home, Nick.

 

[ManofSteel55]

Maroody is way too slow for the NHL. He's like the Jason Allison of the AHL. Puts up decent numbers, but I personally don't see him ever cracking an NHL squad.

Benson has been among the top-scorers of the AHL for 3 years now but for some reason or another, he's never been able to make that jump to the Oilers. Shocking considering how poor our depth was last season. He's in a bit of a tough spot, because Tippett prefers his bottom-6 to penalty kill, whereas his skillset is more tailored for the top-6 where there isn't any room to play. The knock on him has always been his skating.

I kinda hope he makes the roster and bumps Turris off. But if he shits the best like he has every other training camp then he's likely waived.


Any team with worse forward depth than the Oilers might take him from waivers, but not many teams fit that.
Seattle maybe?

I sorta feel like if he's not an Oiler, he's Europe bound.

Benson also was hurt by COVID last year. Not that he had it, but in that he couldn't be called up for a day or two to fill in, which likely would have happened if it was a normal year. It was either leave him on the taxi squad, or send him to the minors to get game time, and they preferred him to have game time. That meant he was only going to be called up to take a spot permanently, like McLeod was. It's too bad, he's the kind of guy that has the tools to make an impact if given the chance. Like you said though, the biggest obstacle might be the coach. Benson is a playmaking left winger. With McDavid and Draisaitl, the Oilers don't need a playmaker in the top six, so it relegates Benson to bottom six icetime, and his skillset might not be the best suited for a Tippett bottom six, although I would love to see him reunited with McLeod. Benson - McLeod - Archibald could be an interesting line.

 

[Yog S'loth]

These obscure players from my favorite team that you've never heard of, because they're actually scrubs, will probably get claimed.

Trust me, I'm an expert.

 

[Theodore450]

Metro
Columbus
Gabriel Carlsson, LHD
Mikko Lehtonen, LHD

Pittsburgh
Dom Simon, LW
Louis Domnigue, G
Sam Lafferty, F
Evan Rodrigues, F

Islanders
Leo Komarov, F
Richard Panik, F
Kieffer Bellows, F
Michael Dal Colle, F
Ross Johnston, F
Thomas Hickey, LHD
Sebastian Aho, LHD

Flyers
German Rubtsov, F
Sam Morin, D
Nate Thompson, F
Derick Brassard, F

Rangers
Jared Tinordi, D
Anthony Bitetto, D

Washington -
Matt irwin, LHD

New Jersey -
Scott Wedgewood, G

Carolina - no one of interest

Gabriel Carlson is an interesting one

 

[Treb]

Cale Fleury would have been the guy, but he got picked by Seattle.

Habs pre-season waivers will be Dea, Dauphin, Vejdemo, Baddock, Pezzetta, Belzile, Belpedio, Ouellet and McNiven. One of those might stick at the start of the season since Byron is out so we would be at 13F/7D. Not much there to claim.

 

[CupInSIX]

Seattle -
Dennis Cholowski, LHD
Morgan Geekie, F
Alex True, F
Will Borgen, RHD
Cale Fleury, RHD
Colin Twarynski, LW
Kole Lind, LW

Francis made a lot of questionable picks at the expansion draft, but I don't see Seattle waiving all those kids for the likes of Sheahan.

Putting Fleury on waivers when they drafted his brother just seems weird.

 

[Jrtu]

With Crosby and Malkin out to start the season for the Pens, while KK being plucked out of Montreal by Carolina, it seems like many teams could use some center depth from the waiver pool. Any decent center out there that might possibly hit the waivers?

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

Francis made a lot of questionable picks at the expansion draft, but I don't see Seattle waiving all those kids for the likes of Sheahan.

Putting Fleury on waivers when they drafted his brother just seems weird.

They signed Borgen to a contract that says he's in the top-8 for their team. Cholowski and Fleury would seem like obvious candidates to waive.

Up front Twarynski was picked to send down. Perhaps that leaves a final spot for Lind and Geekie to battle for once Gourde goes on IR. I think Geekie would win, but who knows.

 

[CupInSIX]

They signed Borgen to a contract that says he's in the top-8 for their team. Cholowski and Fleury would seem like obvious candidates to waive.

Up front Twarynski was picked to send down. Perhaps that leaves a final spot for Lind and Geekie to battle for once Gourde goes on IR. I think Geekie would win, but who knows.

I agree on Geekie and I think waiving him could be a potential mistake. They should probably keep him on the roster and go with 9 dmen. Sheahan, Twarinsky & Blackwell are the most likely waiver candidates at F IMO.

 

[Colezuki]

Montreal won’t have anyone off the top of my head, there is a situation though where one of Paquette, perreault, or byron may end up on waivers if Poehling surprises at main camp

 

[Whalers Fan]

Jo Drouin

I was going to post the same thing. If Drouin looks like crap in camp or at the start of the season, I could see this happening. No one would claim him, and he'd be sent to Laval.

 

[LEAFANFORLIFE23]

Evander Kane?

At this point I wouldn't be totally surprised he's damn near poison at this point

 

[Mr Sakich]

Koskinen is a good possibility. Holland does not want to run 3 goalies and Stalock would probably get plucked by another team. I could see ECHL for Kosko if Stalock shows anything at all in camp

 

[jay from jersey]

Julian Gauthier is most likely going to get waived due to the sheer number of wingers the rangers have. It’s unfortunate because he still has solid potential. He’s big and fast with pretty good hands, but Quinn hates him so he barely played.i still think he has potential to be a 15-20 goal guy. Whoever picks him up needs to give him a top 9 role with some talented players. He’s good a good shot, and last season when he played, was actually taking the puck to the net and creating chances. He Lead the AHL in goals not too long ago.
Even though he’s big and fast and looks like a body builder, he’s not a physical player. He’s not going to go around the ice hitting or anything like that, which drives people crazy because of how big and fast he is
The team that snags him should put him on a 3rd line looking to add offense. He’ll thrive in that roll with solid minutes

 

[HBK27]

Seattle has like 17 forwards and 11 defencemen that are waivers eligible.

I wonder how many, if any get claimed.

A few teams could get their players back if they wish.

That's some solid GM'ing there by Francis.

Way to hold firm on your trade demands leading up to the expansion draft and not make a single deal. Hope they lose a few guys to waivers.

 

[ManofSteel55]

Julian Gauthier is most likely going to get waived due to the sheer number of wingers the rangers have. It’s unfortunate because he still has solid potential. He’s big and fast with pretty good hands, but Quinn hates him so he barely played.i still think he has potential to be a 15-20 goal guy. Whoever picks him up needs to give him a top 9 role with some talented players. He’s good a good shot, and last season when he played, was actually taking the puck to the net and creating chances. He Lead the AHL in goals not too long ago.
Even though he’s big and fast and looks like a body builder, he’s not a physical player. He’s not going to go around the ice hitting or anything like that, which drives people crazy because of how big and fast he is
The team that snags him should put him on a 3rd line looking to add offense. He’ll thrive in that roll with solid minutes

This is an interesting one. He's the kind of guy that I would love my team to take a chance on, but I don't know if we have the room for another developing player either.

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

Kale Clague is going to get waived I hope he makes it to the ahl I would prefer that Matta gets waived but I am not making the decisions'

Vegas would smash the claim button if we was available

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

Stalock seems like a notable name

Rumors are that the Oilers are going with 3 goalies on the big club to start the year.

 

[Blitz]

Skinner

NMC

 

[DaPhazz]

Jo Drouin

no way

 

[ManofSteel55]

Rumors are that the Oilers are going with 3 goalies on the big club to start the year.

Rumors from who? I haven't heard that one. If true, I bet they waive Koskinen and the "run three goalies" plan is because they don't expect him to be claimed.