Hab-Dawgs said:
How do the new waivers work?
I read the section on waivers on the NHL site, but it appears that it has not been updated yet.
How is it that some players can be waived without the possibility of being picked up by other teams?
Thanks in advance.
HD
From what I can tell, waivers are pretty much the same as under the old CBA, with two major exceptions:
1. The Waiver Draft has been abolished.
2. Players who are not otherwise exempt from waivers (due to age and # of games played) and who earn >$75K salary in the minor leagues must clear waivers when called back up, and if claimed, the original team is still responsible for half the players salary and cap hit. Waivers for sending players down is unchanged - if claimed the new team picks up the entire salary.
Waivers in the NHL (unlike MLB) are irrevocable. Once a player is waived, any other team may claim him by paying a fee and picking up his contract. A team cannot change their mind and pull him back if another team tries to claim him.
The only way a player can be sent down and not be exposed to waivers is if he is young and still exempt from waivers - based on age and # of games of NHL experience.