The Edmonton Oilers have seemingly turned on the jets this season, lifting themselves out of the Pacific Division and into a playoff spot. Injuries and inconsistency notwithstanding, the Oilers look like a third-straight trip to the Stanley Cup Finals might be in the cards.
But the sudden optimism hasn’t precluded the Oilers from making a move on the waiver wire. On Sunday, the club placed two players on waivers, but for different reasons.
The first name to hit the wire is Noah Philp. Philp has appeared in 15 games this season. He’s contributed two goals and three points. However, he seemed destined to fall out of the lineup as injured regulars, such as Zach Hyman, returned. Unfortunately, Philp also went down, landing him on LTIR.
Philp has since come off LTIR and consequently headed back down to Bakersfield. Likely, the move is more of a practical one. Philp will need regular playing to get back into shape. The Oilers could call on him at some point down the line.
The Oilers will need Philp to be fully healthy and ready, as injuries could lead to his return to the NHL lineup.
Tomasek Leaves Oilers after Frustrating NHL Stint
As for David Tomasek, the club announced his placement on waivers was for the purpose of contract termination. The move wasn’t the result of any bad blood between the two sides. It was just a numbers game.
As Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal pointed out, Tomasek just wasn’t a good fit for the Oilers. The Swedish forward signed a one-year deal this past offseason, hoping to crack the team’s top six.
However, Tomasek just wasn’t able to find a foothold in the lineup. Moreover, the return of injured regulars squeezed Tomasek out of the lineup just like Philp.
As such, the Oilers and the 29-year-old agreed to terminate his contract so he could return to Europe. Assuming Tomasek clears waivers, the Oilers will bury the bulk of his $1.2 million cap hit for the remainder of the season.
That will be a major necessity as Kasperi Kapanen and his $1.3 million cap hit could be coming off LTIR soon. As such, the club will need the cap space moving forward.
Tomasek Could Still Get One More Shot at the NHL
Now, the previous discussion hinges on Tomasek clearing waivers. There’s still a possibility that another team might claim him off the wire. If that were to be the case, the interested team and Tomasek would have to work out an agreement for him to remain in North America.
If another club chose to claim Tomasek, it would actually be a huge benefit to the Oilers. Edmonton would remove its full cap hit from its books. Moreover, Tomasek would get another crack at becoming an NHL mainstay.
As for what teams may claim Tomasek, that’s another story. Likely, it wouldn’t be a contender like the Oilers. It would have to be a club with a clear lineup spot in their top six, particularly down the middle.
Both Tomasek and Philp will learn if they have cleared waivers on Monday afternoon.
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