The Chicago Blackhawks placed a familiar name to Caps fans on the waiver wire, Wednesday.
For the second time this season and the third time in less than a full year, Brett Connolly is on waivers.
Connolly is halfway through the second to last year remaining on the four-year, $14 million contract that he signed with the Florida Panthers in the summer of 2019 after leaving Washington as an unrestricted free agent.
Placed on NHL waivers today: Brett Connolly (CHI) and Sami Niku (MTL).
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) January 26, 2022
If Connolly goes unclaimed he could end up on the Blackhawks’ taxi squad or be sent to the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League where he has already played 16 games this season, recording 11 points.
It has been a bit of a struggle in the last couple of seasons for Connolly to repeat the success he had with the Capitals. After his first year in Florida where he scored 19 goals and tallied 33 points, Connolly only has six points in 35 games split between Florida and Chicago.
The 29-year-old winger has got into four NHL games this season but has spent the majority of his recent time either healthy scratched or on Chicago’s taxi squad. He was suspended four games by the league in mid-December for throwing a big, illegal hit on Dallas Stars forward Tanner Kero.
Connolly initially arrived in Chicago via trade at the deadline last season.
