Panthers put former Canucks centerman on waivers

Jan 19, 2026 (2:57 PM)

Photo credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images

Jack Studnicka hit waivers Monday, and Vancouver Canucks fans remember that short bottom six bet.

PuckPedia's waiver wire has Studnicka listed as the lone name filed Monday, with Florida doing the paperwork before the next roster shuffle.

The same tracker notes Elliotte Friedman reported the move ahead of a matchup versus San Jose.

For Canucks diehards, Studnicka isn't a random depth center, he's a familiar one.

Vancouver landed him from Boston in October 2022, sending goalie Michael DiPietro and defense prospect Jonathan Myrenberg the other way.

Studnicka, now 26, was a 2017 second round pick, 53rd overall, and the tools always looked NHL-adjacent.

In 2022-23 with Vancouver he got 47 games, scored four goals, and finished with eight points while trying to stick in the middle six.

That's the part that stings a little for fans, waivers are where «maybe he pops» dreams usually go to die.

He's on a one-year deal with a $775,000 cap hit, so the bet is still cheap, it just hasn't paid yet.

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This season's line is brutal on its face, 18 NHL games for Florida with zero points.

If the Panthers want him playing bigger minutes in Charlotte, waivers are the toll, and the league will tell them quickly if anyone bites.

On the ice, Studnicka has always been more pace than polish.

He'll get in on the forecheck and survive the wall work, but his career totals, 125 NHL games and 16 points, show how hard offense is to find.

The Canucks angle is simple, this is what the middle of the roster looks like for most teams, constant churn and constant auditions.

Vancouver gave Studnicka a real run, and now he's back in the league's waiting room, hoping the next call sticks.

If he clears, it's a fresh reset in the AHL, and if he's claimed, it's another new start for a player who's been chasing one steady NHL home.

Previously on HockeyLatest

POLL
JANVIER 19\|100 ANSWERS Panthers put former Canucks centerman on waivers Should any team claim Jack Studnicka off waivers?
Yes claim	24	24 %
Let clear	60	60 %
Vancouver reunion	16	16 %
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