A couple of notable names are on the wire today.
On Saturday, 17 NHL players were placed on waivers, making them available to the other 31 teams across the league.
Easily, the biggest name of the day on waivers is Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Ryan Graves. The former plus/minus champion is coming off a rough 2024-25 campaign. He was a healthy scratch several times for former head coach Mike Sullivan, appearing in just 61 games, the fewest games in a regular NHL season since he became a full-time player with the Colorado Avalanche in 2019. He scored just a goal and three assists for four points.
The 30-year-old is entering the third year of his six-year contract that he signed with the Pens in July 2023. The deal has an AAV of $4.5 million through the 2028-29 season, with a modified no-trade clause. If he were to clear waivers on Sunday, only $3.35 million would count against the Pens’ cap. In 433 NHL games, Graves has scored 32 goals and 86 assists for 118 points, with another 10 points in 35 postseason affairs.
Another familiar name on the wire is forward Zack MacEwen. The New Jersey Devils placed the known tough guy on waivers a day after the team acquired him from the Ottawa Senators in a one-for-one trade that saw Kurtis MacDermid head to the nation’s capital. MacEwen spent the past couple of seasons splitting time between the Senators and their American Hockey League affiliate, the Belleville Senators. Last season with Ottawa, the Charlottetown, P.E.I. native scored two goals and an assist for three points in 21 games, posting 16 points in 23 games in Belleville.
MacEwen is entering the final season of his three-year contract, which he signed with the Sens in July 2023. The deal has a cap hit of $775,000. In 237 NHL appearances, the 29-year-old has notched 17 goals and 17 assists for 34 points, registering 323 PIM.
Speaking of the Sens, a former Ottawa mainstay is on the wire. The San Jose Sharks placed forward Colin White on waivers. White spent most of the 2024-25 season with the Sharks’ top farm team, the San Jose Barracuda, scoring 12 goals and 13 assists for 25 points in 48 games. He also notched six points in five Calder Cup Playoff affairs.
White re-signed with the Sharks this past July on a one-year contract. In 345 NHL games, including postseason, the 28-year-old has scored 44 goals and 71 assists for 115 points. In 125 AHL contests, he has totaled 30 goals and 43 assists for 74 points.
Here’s the full list of players placed on waivers on Saturday:
Dallas Stars: Cameron Hughes, Vladislav Kolyachonok
Florida Panthers: Tobias Bjornfot, Brandon Bussi
New Jersey Devils: Thomas Bordeleau, Angus Crookshank, Brian Halonen, Zack MacEwen, Colton White
Philadelphia Flyers: Dennis Gilbert
Pittsburgh Penguins: Alexander Alexeyev, Ryan Graves, Rafael Harvey-Pinard, Bokondji Imama, Samuel Poulin
San Jose Sharks: Colin White
Utah Mammoth: Cameron Hebig
All 12 players placed on waivers on Friday cleared, making them eligible to join their respective AHL clubs.
