A day after Blackhawks' Coach Denis Savard pronounced that "there's no room" on the ice for underachieving forward Sergei Samsonov, it appears there's no room in the organization either for the veteran, who was officially placed on waivers.
Samsonov most likely will clear waivers today since few teams would be willing to take on his $3.5 million salary and his lack of production, but Savard is hoping there is a taker.
"I'm sure if someone picks him up, he'll be able to help them if he's put in the right spot," Savard said.
Samsonov, the eighth overall choice by Boston in the 1997 draft, came to the Hawks from Montreal in exchange for Jassen Cullimore and Tony Salmelainen over the summer. The hope was he could regain his form of old and provide a veteran presence on a young Hawks team.
After starting the season as a top-six forward, Samsonov's ice time quickly faded. He ended up playing in only 23 games, garnering a total of 4 points.
Waiver - Hockey Wiretap
Lightning Place Backup Goalie Denis On Waivers
The Tampa Bay Lightning placed backup goalie Marc Denis on waivers Friday.
Denis, who's in his ninth NHL season, has been a major disappointment since being acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets in a June 2006 trade and signing a three-year, $8.6 million contract. He appeared in 10 games this season, going 1-5 with a 4.05 goals-against average and .859 save percentage.
If the 30-year-old clears waivers Saturday, the Lightning plan to reassign him to AHL Norfolk.
Denis entered the season as Johan Holmqvist's backup but dropped to third string when the Lightning recalled rookie Karri Ramo from Norfolk last week. Denis was a healthy scratch for the four games Tampa Bay has played since Ramos was promoted and named the starter.
Oilers' Rourke Clears Waivers, Sent To AHL Springfield
The Edmonton Oilers on Thursday announced defenseman Allan Rourke cleared waivers and was assigned to Springfield of the American Hockey League.
Thrashers Claim Recchi Off Waivers
The Thrashers claimed veteran forward Mark Recchi off waivers on Saturday.
Recchi had two goals and six assists in 19 games with Pittsburgh this season.
He cleared waivers Wednesday, was assigned to the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Thursday and then was placed on re-entry waivers on Friday.
Atlanta will get Recchi for half of his US$1.75-million contract with the Penguins paying the other half.
Penguins' Recchi On Re-Entry Waivers
The Penguins have placed veteran right wing Mark Recchi on re-entry waivers, TSN of Canada reported Friday.
The move comes one day after the 39-year-old cleared waivers and was assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League.
The other 29 NHL teams now have the option of claiming Recchi and paying only half of his $1.75 million salary. The Penguins would be responsible for paying the other half of the one-year contract.
If Recchi was claimed by an NHL team when he was initially put on waivers, that club would have been responsible for paying his entire salary.
Will Penguins' Recchi Report To AHL After Clearing Waivers?
Mark Recchi, a career 510-goal scorer who was waived by the Pittsburgh Penguins earlier this week, was assigned Thursday to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL.
It is uncertain whether Recchi must report to the Penguins' top farm club. Recchi has not played in the minors since 1990.
Penguins Waive Recchi
The Penguins have placed veteran right wing Mark Recchi on waivers, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported on its web site Tuesday.
The 39-year-old had been a healthy scratch for the past six games and seven of the past eight.
Recchi has two goals and six assists in 19 appearances this season after signing a one-year contract, with a base salary of $1.75 million, in June.
Flames Recall Pardy From AHL Quad City
The Calgary Flames on Monday recalled defenseman Adam Pardy from Quad City, their American Hockey League affiliate.
Kings Recall Gauthier, Quick; Send Moulson To AHL; Place Frolov On IR
The Los Angeles Kings and Kings' President/General Manager Dean Lombardi today announced the following transactions: forward Gabe Gauthier and goaltender Jonathan Quick (under emergency conditions) have been recalled from the Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League; forward Matt Moulson has been assigned to Manchester; and forward Alexander Frolov has been placed on the injured reserve list (retroactive to November 21).
Gauthier, 23, has played in 21 games with the Monarchs this season and is tied for the team-lead in goals with eight and is second in team scoring with 27 points. The 5-9, 205-pound native of Torrance, California, has played in five NHL games ? all with the Kings ? and has zero points and two penalty minutes. He was signed by the Kings as a free agent on July 7, 2006, and wears No. 52.
Quick, 21, has played in three games with the Monarchs this season and has a 1-2-0 record, a 2.67 goals-against-average and a .909 save percentage. He has also this season played in 13 games with the Reading Royals of the ECHL and recorded a 7-5-1 record, one shutout, a 2.46 goals-against-average and a .907 save percentage. The 6-0, 180-pound native of Milford, Connecticut, has not played in the NHL. He was selected by the Kings in the third-round (72nd overall) in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, and wears No. 32.
Moulson, 24, has played in 12 games with the Kings this season and has four points ? including three goals ? and two penalty minutes. He has also this season played in eight games with the Monarchs and has recorded nine points (5-4=9) and five penalty minutes. The 6-1, 210-pound native of North York, Ontario, signed with the Kings as a free agent on September 1, 2006.
Frolov, 25, has missed the last four Kings' games due to a groin injury. He has played in 21 games with the Kings this season and leads the Kings in assists with 16 and is tied for second in points with 20. The 6-2, 210-pound native of Moscow, Russia, was selected by the Kings in the first-round (20th overall) in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft.
Avs Recall Richardson From AHL Lake Erie
The Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club announced today that it has recalled forward Brad Richardson from the Lake Erie Monsters, the team?s American Hockey League affiliate.
Richardson was first recalled by the Avalanche on Nov. 15 and played in five games with Colorado before being reassigned to Lake Erie on Nov. 29. He collected one goal and no assists with the Avalanche.
Richardson missed the first month of the season due to a wrist injury and was assigned to Lake Erie after being cleared to play on Nov. 7. The Belleville, Ontario, native recorded one point (0g/1a) in five games with the Lake Erie Monsters.
In a related move, the Avalanche announced today that it has placed defenseman Kurt Sauer on the injured reserve list (neck).