The Winnipeg Jets placed Axel Jonsson-Fjallby on waivers on Monday per The Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli
Jonsson-Fjallby is being moved so that the Jets can make room for defenseman Dylan DeMelo back on the active roster. DeMelo has not played since January 26 due to a lower-body injury.
DeMelo skated in a full-contact jersey at practice on Monday, per The Winnipeg Free Press’s Mike McIntyre, and is expected to play Tuesday against the Seattle Kraken.
Jonsson-Fjallby landed in Winnipeg in early October after being claimed off waivers from Washington. AFJ was one of the Capitals’ final cuts for its Opening Night roster. That list included Brett Leason, who was claimed by the Anaheim Ducks as well. After overcoming visa issues, AJF went on to play in 45 of 53 games for the Jets and scored four goals and 11 points during that time.
Jets head coach Rick Bowness admitted that the Jets are hoping Jonsson-Fjallby is able to stay in the organization.
“We had to put Axel on waivers,” Bowness said. “That’s a move we do not want to make. Axel has done everything we’ve asked him to do. He’s been a great teammate. He’s helped us get to where we are today. But we’re only allowed to have 23 bodies here. It’s an unfortunate move that we’re forced to make. We’re hoping we don’t lose him selfishly. He’s been a very strong part of our hockey club.”
The move, however, could set in motion a return to the Capitals’ organization for The Blessed Flow’d One — if Caps’ brass so chooses.
The Capitals will get a first crack at re-claiming Jonsson-Fjallby on the waiver wire list Tuesday. If no other team puts a claim on AJF, the Caps would be able to send Axel down to AHL Hershey.
If that happens, it would mark the second time AJF returns to Washington after being claimed by another team. Last season, during training camp, the Sabres claimed Jonsson-Fjallby from Washington, but then put him back on waivers a week later. The Capitals re-claimed him back and sent him to Hershey.
#Caps claim forward Axel Jonsson Fjallby off waivers from the Buffalo Sabres and loan him to the Hershey Bears (AHL).
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) October 11, 2021
“I was in a moving car about to pick up my furniture for the apartment when I got the call that I had been claimed,” Jonsson-Fjallby said then. “It was a roller coaster for sure. I wasn’t upset about coming back either. Washington is the team that drafted me.”
The Swedish forward eventually got called up due to injury issues on the NHL team and went on to play in 23 games for the Caps during the 2021-22 season.
The Capitals also re-claimed back Nathan Walker after the Edmonton Oilers claimed the Aussie off waivers during their Stanley Cup-winning 2017-18 season.
Screenshot courtesy of the Jets
