Two Veterans Placed on Waivers Including One of the NHL's Most Polarizing Players
Photo credit: HTR
Although the NHL season only began about a week ago, more players have been placed on waivers today as teams and fans await word on whether they will be claimed.
Brendan Lemieux, a forward for the Carolina Hurricanes, was placed on waivers for reassignment today. Dylan Gambrell has also been added to the Columbus Blue Jackets' waiver wire.
Due to a lower-body injury, Lemieux, 28, has missed both of the Hurricanes' games this season. The forward, who was born in Denver, led the team with 64 penalty minutes in 2023-24 and finished with five points, three goals, and two assists in 32 games. Lemieux was one of the team's more well-known hurdlers and always made an impression when he took to the ice, but a recent injury has prevented him from playing thus far.
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Brendan Lemieux will be sent to the AHL's Chicago Wolves if no one claims him. The NHL has acknowledged that Lemieux was coping with an injury.
"Lemieux, 28, missed both of the Hurricanes' games so far this season with a lower-body injury. The Denver native totaled five points (3g, 2a) and led Carolina with 64 penalty minutes in 32 games during the 2023-24 season. A second-round selection, 31st overall, by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2014 NHL Draft, Lemieux has registered 36 goals, 38 assists (74 points) and 548 penalty minutes in 307 career NHL games with Winnipeg, the New York Rangers, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Carolina.."
During his time with the Los Angeles Kings, Brendan Lemieux bit Ottawa Senators forward Brady Tkachuk, earning him a five-game suspension.
The Columbus Blue Jackets also placed Dylan Gambrell on waivers in a similar move. Gambrell has yet to play this season, and if he is cleared, he will probably report to the AHL, where he will most likely spend the 2024-25 season.
As they attempt to change the course of their careers this season, Lemieux and Gambrell are both players to keep an eye on.
These waiver decisions are a reflection of the business side of hockey, where teams must make difficult choices regarding roster optimization and injury management. Their teams' future depth and strategy are impacted by their possible reassignments while they await the next phase of their careers.
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