02/20/19 01:09:00
Printable Page
02/20 13:08 CST Washington Capitals put playoff hero Smith-Pelly on waivers
Washington Capitals put playoff hero Smith-Pelly on waivers
By STEPHEN WHYNO
AP Hockey Writer
The Washington Capitals placed playoff hero Devante Smith-Pelly on waivers
Wednesday ahead of next week's NHL trade deadline.
Coach Todd Reirden told reporters in Toronto the plan was to waive winger
Dmitrij Jaskin, who did not practice, but the team changed course.
If one of the other 30 teams claims Smith-Pelly, it would clear a roster spot
and his $1 million salary off the books for the defending Stanley Cup champion
Capitals. General manager Brian MacLellan has said the team is shopping for a
forward, and pending restricted free agent winger Andre Burakovsky is a
potential trade chip.
The deadline is 3 p.m. Eastern on Monday.
Smith-Pelly, 26, scored seven goals in last year's playoffs during the
Capitals' run to the title. This season, Smith-Pelly hasn't scored a goal in 33
games, registered an assist in 17 games and has just eight points in 54 games.
Also Wednesday, the San Jose Sharks claimed forward Micheal Haley off waivers
from the Florida Panthers. Haley recently played parts of three seasons with
the Sharks.
The Philadelphia Flyers put Mike McKenna on waivers to clear a glut of
goaltenders. Philadelphia has three other goalies --- rookie starter Carter
Hart, recently acquired backup Cam Talbot and veteran Brian Elliott --- on its
23-man roster.
Veteran goalie Michael Leighton, who helped the Flyers reach the 2010 Cup
Final, cleared waivers after signing for the rest of the season with the
Vancouver Canucks. Anaheim Ducks winger Patrick Eaves was also among those who
cleared waivers, and the Pittsburgh Penguins put forward Joseph Cramarossa on
waivers after signing him.
___
More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
|
