Ottawa Senators Waive Forward Matthew Highmore After Preseason Injury Setback

If Highmore clears, he will be assigned to the Belleville Senators of the AHL. Since suffering an injury while playing for Ottawa in the preseason, he has been placed on injured leave. Highmore agreed to a one-year, two-way contract in the summer that would pay him $400,000 in the AHL and $775,000 in the NHL.

Highmore would have needed to receive a medical clearance before being placed on waivers, so he should be prepared to return to the starting lineup. As he recovers from an injury, the 28-year-old center is expected to begin the season with AHL Belleville, but he should have a good chance of being called up later on.

Highmore divided the 2023-24 campaign between Belleville and the Senators. In Belleville, he scored nine goals and 22 assists for 31 points in 43 games, while in Ottawa, he recorded two assists in seven games.

Highmore signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Blackhawks at the age of 21 after leading the Saint John Sea Dogs of the QMJHL in assists (55), points (89), and league championships.

He began the 2017-18 season with the Rockford IceHogs, the Blackhawks' AHL affiliate, and finished the first full season with the minor league team with 24 goals and 19 assists for 43 points in 64 games. He was then traded to the Vancouver Canucks after a few stints with the Blackhawks. He played for the team for parts of two seasons before they refused to extend a qualifying offer, allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent.

He played in 208 games during his five AHL seasons with the Senators, Rockford IceHogs, and Springfield Thunderbirds, tallying 59 goals and 97 assists for 156 points.

Matthew Highmore has also played in 146 NHL games over six seasons with the Ottawa Senators, St. Louis Blues, Vancouver Canucks, and Chicago Blackhawks, scoring 12 goals and dishing out 17 assists for 29 points.