In the span of four days, the Vancouver Canucks have decided to waive two veterans they scooped up from the Montreal Canadiens.
Defenceman Yannick Weber, 27, followed Brandon Prust and hit the waiver wire at 12 p.m. ET Friday, as first reported by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. (The Canucks also waived another former Hab, Chris Higgins, earlier this season.)
Weber ranks fourth among Canucks defencemen in ice time, averaging 19:09 per game, and is tied for last among the club’s D-men in plus/minus with a minus-13 rating — a career worst.
The native of Morges, Switzerland, has yet to register a goal this season after posting a career-best 11 in 2014-15. He has five assists and 24 penalty minutes.
Weber’s last stint with AHL Utica was in 2013-14, when he put up seven points in seven games.
Though seldom used on the penalty kill, Weber sees plenty of time on the power-play and could be swiped off the wire for cheap.
His contract carries a modest $1.5-million cap hit and expires on July 1, at which point he’ll become an unrestricted free agent.
Sportsnet’s Irfaan Gaffar reports that defenceman Dan Hamhuis is set to return Saturday. Weber’s demotion should clear cap space for Hamhuis to come off long-term injured reserve.
