30 players hit waivers as Maple Leafs and Wild make major roster cuts
Photo credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Toronto Maple Leafs waived Brendan Brisson and seven others Thursday as the Minnesota Wild cut eight more names ahead of opening night.
Thursday brought one of the busiest waiver days of the young preseason, and the Toronto Maple Leafs sat right in the middle of it.
Toronto put eight players on the wire, including forwards Brendan Brisson, Vinni Lettieri, Steven Lorentz, Michael Pezzetta and Henrik Rybinski, plus defensemen Philippe Myers and Marshall Rifai and prospect Ryan Tverberg.
It is a clear signal new general manager John Chayka wants a leaner group heading into opening night.
Other clubs joined in too. The Predators waived goaltender Matthew Murray, the Senators cut Leevi Merilainen, the Penguins let go of Philip Kemp, and the Canucks placed Matthew Stienburg on the list, according to PuckPedia's tracker.
A second wave hit four more clubs
The Stars cut Kyle Burroughs and Matthew Seminoff, while the Kings moved on five names at once in Martin Chromiak, Cole Guttman, Joe Hicketts, Lane Pederson and Francesco Pinelli.
The Wild waived eight players in one shot, led by Caedan Bankier, Dylan Gambrell, Matt Kiersted, Justin Kirkland, Carson Lambos, Tyler Pitlick, Roman Schmidt and Mason Shaw.
Pitlick is the name fans will recognize fastest, since Edmonton drafted him 31st overall in 2010 and he spent parts of five seasons in an Oilers jersey.
Brisson carries similar pedigree, since Vegas took him 29th overall in 2020 and he wore the Golden Knights sweater before later stops in New York and now Toronto.
Everyone from Wednesday already cleared
PuckPedia confirmed every player waived on Wednesday cleared without issue.
More names are expected to hit the wire before rosters lock, and PuckPedia's waiver watch list is the place to track who is next.
Also read on House Of Hockey :
Maple Leafs forward goes viral after one-punch knockout in Ottawa
Maple Leafs forward goes viral after one-punch knockout in Ottawa