The Detroit Red Wings have transformed their AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, into a graveyard for veteran NHL defensemen.
During training camp, the Red Wings sent Justin Holl down. He cleared waivers with nary a team even close to claiming him. Holl had fallen out of favor since last season, but injuries allowed him to remain in the NHL until now.
A similar fate befell Erik Gustafsson. While Gustafsson made the team out of camp, it didn’t take long for him to land in Grand Rapids.
But now, the blueline graveyard could have another resident: Travis Hamonic.
The Red Wings surprised some folks by signing Hamonic to a one-year, $1 million contract this season. The rationale, it seemed, was that the young Red Wings blue line needed some veteran leadership as insurance.
While that thought made sense over the summer, Hamonic being that veteran insurance raised some eyebrows. Fast-forward to mid-November, and Hamonic looks increasingly bad. He has one assist in nine games, while racking up 14 penalty minutes. He’s averaging a little under 14 minutes per game, the lowest total of his career.
Plus, younger blueliners like Jacob Bernard-Docker and Axel Sandin-Pellikka have pushed Hamonic out of the Red Wings’ lineup.
That’s why it might just be a matter of time before the Red Wings decide to put Hamonic on waivers, allowing him to report to the AHL, if he clears.
Red Wings May Lose Hamonic to Waivers
It may seem implausible, but the Red Wings may lose Hamonic to waivers. The reason could be injuries piling up around the league. Several teams have had injuries wallop their blue lines. So, adding an experienced NHL defenseman on a relatively cost-effective contract could be enough to entice these clubs to pluck Hamonic.
If that were the case, the Red Wings would catch a break. They would shed Hamonic’s contract while ensuring a roster spot for other up-and-coming blueliners.
Otherwise, Hamonic would clear waivers and head down to Grand Rapids. That move would pretty much bury Hamonic’s cap hit in the AHL for the remainder of the season.
Detroit Loses Nothing by Keeping Hamonic in the Press Box
The other way out would be to keep Hamonic in the press box for the rest of the season. The Red Wings are hardly up against the cap this season. Plus, the veteran blueliner is only on a one-year deal.
So, the Red Wings lose nothing by keeping him as a healthy scratch. If injuries were to strike the team, Hamonic could come back into the fold. Still, the club could recall Holl or Gustafsson if things got really tight.
Ultimately, Detroit will shed three ineffective contracts at the end of this season. Holl, Gustafsson, and Hamonic will all become UFAs next summer. That situation could free up significant cap space that the Red Wings could use to re-sign players like Simon Edvinsson.
The Wings could then dip their toes in the UFA market for more reliable depth defensive help. With sufficient cap space to go, the Wings could have their pick of second-tier blueliners next summer.
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