Oilers place veteran defenseman on waivers as Leafs forward clears for contract termination
The Oilers have placed veteran defenseman Troy Stecher on waivers today, while former Leafs forward David Kampf has cleared and will have his contract terminated.
The Edmonton Oilers are at risk of losing veteran defenceman Troy Stecher for nothing in return, as the team has just placed him on waivers.
What David Kampf clearing waivers means
Yesterday, the Leafs placed David Kampf on waivers, and he went unclaimed, which means his contract will now be terminated.
Stecher, a former Canuck and Flame, is in the last year of a contract that carries a cap hit of just $787,500. He's suited up for six games with the Oilers this season, scoring no points while averaging 13:37 in ice time.
The 2024-25 season saw him suit up for 66 regular-season games with the Oilers, along with an additional eight games in the playoffs.
Why the Oilers didn't trade Troy Stecher instead
The decision to put Stecher on waivers doesn't come as a major surprise because the Oilers had been looking to trade the right-shot defenceman as a way to create more cap space.
This was going to be done in order to activate Zach Hyman from long-term injured reserve. There clearly wasn't much of a trade market, if any, for Stecher, resulting in today's decision to place him on waivers and risk losing him for nothing.
In another cap-related move, the Oilers announced that Isaac Howard has been reassigned to the AHL's Bakersfield Condors.
The 2024-25 Hobey Baker Award winner has struggled in his first NHL season, scoring only two goals with a total of three points through 17 outings.
Getting more ice time and a bigger role at the AHL level should be beneficial for the 21-year-old's development.
| POLL | ||
NOVEMBRE 14 | 126 ANSWERS Oilers place veteran defenseman on waivers as Leafs forward clears for contract termination Will Troy Stecher get claimed by another team on waivers? | ||
| Yes | 103 | 81.7 % |
| No | 23 | 18.3 % |
| List of polls | ||