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G’Day Nate: Capitals re-claim Nathan Walker

By Ian Oland

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December 20, 2017 1:07 pm

This just in: everyone’s favorite Australian hockey player is back in the Capitals organization.

Wednesday at noon, the Capitals put in a waiver claim for Nathan Walker and received him back from the Edmonton Oilers.

Per Mr. Sportsnet Elliotte Friedman:

The Capitals announced that Walker will report to the NHL team. The Capitals now have 23 players on their NHL roster, the maximum allowed.

With the NHL holiday roster freeze in effect, there is no way for the Capitals to send Walker down to the AHL, if that’s indeed what they intend to do, until after it ends at 12:01 AM on December 28 – an eight-day span.

Walker played in only two games for Edmonton before being put on waivers again for the second time in three weeks.

For a team that has struggled with depth in their bottom six (primarily their bottom line) all season long, this is great news for the Capitals.

Welcome back, Nate.

More from the Capitals:

The Washington Capitals have claimed forward Nathan Walker off of waivers and will be assigned to the Capitals, senior vice president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today.

The Sydney, Australia, native became the first Australian-national to play in the NHL on Oct. 7 versus the Montreal Canadiens. Walker scored his first NHL goal in his NHL debut and played in seven games for the Capitals this season. Additionally, Walker appeared in two games for the Edmonton Oilers.

Walker registered 23 points (11g, 12a) in 58 games with the Hershey Bears (AHL) during the 2016-17 season. The 5’9”, 186-pound left wing ranked eighth among Bears skaters in plus/minus (+11) and tied for ninth in goals. In addition, Walker set a career high with two game-winning goals and tied his career high in multi-goal games (2). During the 2015-16 season, Walker registered 41 points (17g, 24a) in 73 games, setting career highs in points, goals, assists and games played. He finished the season ranked third on the team in plus/minus (+20), fourth in goals and points, fifth in games played and sixth in assists. Walker was also named Hershey’s 2016 Man of the Year, Unsung Hero and Most Improved Player. Walker earned 79 points (34g, 45a) in 202 career AHL games with Hershey.

Walker, 23, holds the distinction of being the first Australian drafted to the NHL after Washington selected him in the third round, 89th overall, in the 2014 NHL Draft. Walker played junior-level hockey in the Czech Republic, participating in 213 games in the Czech League’s Vitkovice program. Additionally, Walker appeared in 29 games in the USHL with the Youngstown Phantoms and recorded 27 points (7g, 20a) in the 2012-13 season. In the year prior to the 2014 draft, Walker registered 11 points (five goals, six assists) and 40 penalty minutes in 43 games with the Bears. Walker represented Australia at the 2011 IIHF World Championship Division II tournament and at the 2012 World Championship Division 1 Group B tournament.