Can Christian Ehrhoff continue the trend of established pros passing through waivers unclaimed this season?
Karri Ramo, Brandon Prust, Mason Raymond, Yannick Weber, and Andrew MacDonald have all scooted through without issue in 2015-16.
And now Ehrhoff, and his salary-cap-friendly $1.5-million salary, is available until 12 p.m. ET Thursday.
The 33-year-old Los Angeles Kings defenceman was placed on waivers Wednesday and would cost an interested team $475,806 the rest of the way, according to General Fanager. If he clears and heads to the American Hockey League, the Kings will bury $550,000 against the cap.
Since leaving Vancouver in 2011, Ehrhoff has never approached the 50-point prime he experienced as a Canuck.
In 40 games with the Pacific-leading Kings, his third team in three years, the German’s decline has continued. He has two goals, nine assists (seven on the power play) and owns the worst plus/minus rating on the roster. A minus-10 player on plus-25 team.
Signed as a free agent in the summer, Ehrhoff ranks seventh among Kings blue-liners in ice time, averaging 15:10 per night. He becomes an unrestricted free agent once again on July 1.
Despite the poor numbers, perhaps the veteran can bring experience and slick passing to help out a struggling team’s power play.
Depending on the seriousness of New York Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh’s concussion, Ehrhoff could a short-term fill-in and reunite with coach Alain Vigneault. The Cup-dreaming Blueshirts operate the third-worst power play in the league at 15.9 per cent.
Or how about a return to Vancouver in light of Alex Edler’s injury?
The defensively thin Edmonton Oilers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Boston Bruins, and Arizona Coyotes should also consider picking him up. The term and the cost is low-risk.
In other wire news, Arizona defenceman Dylan Reese was also placed on waivers Wednesday.
