Just a short while after swapping Dan Ellis for Curtis McElhinney of the Anaheim Ducks, the Tampa Bay Lightning placed goalie Mike Smith on re-entry waivers. Smith had been with the Norfolk Admirals of the American Hockey League for the better part of February after clearing regular waivers early in the month.
Goalie Mike Smith Placed On Re-Entry Waivers After Lightning Trade Dan Ellis
It’s unclear exactly why Smith is being called back through. It could be in hopes that another team claims him, and then but that doesn’t seem all that likely. Steve Yzerman could also want Smith to come back to the NHL roster to fight out that backup job with McElhinney, or to put pressure on Dwayne Roloson for the starting job. Competition, you know?
That, or another move could be coming. The Lightning don’t have any goaltenders locked up beyond the current season, despite having three on the NHL payroll, and it’s possible that Yzerman is just freeing up his options by calling Smith back through waivers.
If claimed by another team, which we’ll know by 12 p.m. Eastern on Friday, the Lightning will have to pay half of Smith’s $2.2 million cap hit. The claiming team would pay the other half.
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