New York Rangers defenseman Brendan Smith can celebrate his 29th birthday with the news that he’s been placed on waivers, according to The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun. That’s probably not the present he was expecting from the team.
Rangers place Brendan Smith on waivers on his birthday
Probably not the present he was hoping for.
Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images
Hurricanes forwards Marcus Kruger and Josh Jooris were also placed on waivers Thursday. The other teams will have 24 hours to decide whether to make claims on any of the three players before they’ll be free to be reassigned to the AHL.
Beyond the fact that it’s a very cruel birthday gift, the placement of Smith on waivers is notable given how much the Rangers committed to him over the past year. New York sent second- and third-round picks to the Red Wings before the 2017 trade deadline to acquire the defensemen, then signed him to a four-year, $17.4 million contract over the summer.
The team clearly envisioned him as a key part of its defense, which is led by Kevin Shattenkirk and Ryan McDonagh. But Smith has bounced in and out of the lineup this season, and when he’s played, he hasn’t been particularly good. In 44 games, he has just one goal, seven assists,
It’s hard to see anyone wanting to claim Smith given his $4.35 million cap hit. More likely, he’ll pass through waivers unclaimed and be eligible for reassignment to the Hartford Wolfpack, which would allow the team to bury $1.025 million of his cap hit in the minors. The remaining $3.325 million would stay on New York’s books.
The Rangers are reportedly in the process of selling at the trade deadline, so it makes sense to see if anyone will take Smith off their hands.
The other two players hitting waivers Thursday are a pair of defensive-minded forwards. Kruger is owed a $3.083 million cap hit through next season, so while he’s a very good defensive center who won two Stanley Cups in Chicago, other teams will likely be weary of taking on that money considering he has just six points in 48 games. Jooris comes much cheaper ($775,000) although he’s been similarly unproductive this season.
All three players will likely clear waivers, although they could be more easily moved before the trade deadline with salary retained.
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