Michal Kempny has cleared waivers and been sent down to the AHL’s Hershey Bears.
Kempny was placed on waivers Saturday after playing in four preseason games for the Capitals.
By Chris Cerullo 1 year ago
The New York Islanders were forced to make a salary dump over the offseason, jettisoning defenseman Nick Leddy ($5.5 million AAV) to the Detroit Red Wings for Richard Panik (Red Wings retained half his salary, $1.375 million) and a second-round pick. For Panik, the trade put him on his fourth different team in a little over two years.
Landing on the Island, however, appeared to be a good opportunity for the former Capital. The Islanders notoriously do not have much forward depth or high-end skill.
Now after a full training camp, Panik will not start the year with the team and was put on waivers by GM Lou Lamoriello. Panik was one of 14 players who hit the waiver wire on Saturday, including Panik’s close friend Michal Kempny.
Michal Kempny was put on waivers by the Washington Capitals on Saturday. It means two things for the Capitals at the NHL level: the Czech defenseman could either be claimed by another team taking his $2.5M cap hit completely off the books or he can go unclaimed and sent to Hershey, where the Capitals could bury $1.125M of his salary.
The most likely scenario, given the Capitals made the move so many days before Opening Night where most teams don’t have much roster flexibility, is that Kempny will clear waivers and end up in the AHL.
That aggressive move by GM Brian MacLellan opens up a few roster possibilities for the cap-strapped Capitals without having to put Nicklas Backstrom, who is rehabbing a hip injury, on long-term injured reserve (which may still happen anyway).
By Ian Oland 1 year ago
Despite doing everything he possibly could over the offseason, Michal Kempny just wasn’t himself during the preseason.
Saturday, the team announced they put the Czech defenseman on waivers with the hopes of assigning him to AHL Hershey if he clears.
Kempny is trying to return to the NHL after three traumatic injuries to his left leg in three years.
By Ian Oland 1 year ago
The Chicago Blackhawks placed a notable name on the waiver wire, Tuesday.
Chicago put former Capital and 2018 Stanley Cup champion, Brett Connolly on waivers. Connolly has two years 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.
This is the second time in less than a year that Connolly has been waived.
By Chris Cerullo 1 year ago
The Washington Capitals just lost Axel Jonsson-Fjallby.
The Buffalo Sabres claimed the Swedish prospect off waivers after the Capitals cut him from their Training Camp roster on Sunday and tried to send him to Hershey.
By Ian Oland 1 year ago
Days ahead of the trade deadline, the Washington Capitals have made their first move to open up some cap space to their cash-strapped team.
Wednesday, the Capitals placed depth forward Richard Panik on waivers.
The trade deadline is 3 PM on Monday. Henrik Lundqvist ($1.5 AAV) is also learning this week if he can return to the NHL this season after open-heart surgery.
During two of Shayne Gostisbehere’s six full seasons in the NHL, the defenseman has received votes for the Norris Trophy.
That’s why on Tuesday, the Flyers putting Gostisbehere on waivers was such a shock.
The Florida Panthers made a surprise transaction on Sunday.
The Panthers put former Capital and 2018 Stanley Cup champion, Brett Connolly, on waivers. Connolly has two years remaining on a four-year, $14 million contract ($3.5 AAV) he originally signed on July 1, 2019.
The upstart Panthers currently sit in second place of the Central Division (13-4-3, 29 standings points).
By Ian Oland 2 years ago
New Pittsburgh Penguins GM Ron Hextall and President of Hockey Operations Brian Burke made their first significant roster move on Wednesday. The executive duo claimed right-handed defenseman Mark Friedman on waivers from the Philadelphia Flyers.
The pickup was massively talked about on Hockey Twitter, but not for the reason you might think.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman (no relation) reported the news on the social media site, but he didn’t include Friedman’s first name in the tweet. So it read like this.
