The San Jose Sharks have placed veteran defenseman Nick Leddy on waivers on Sunday.
Leddy, 34, has played just 19 games for the Sharks this season. Initially claimed off waivers from the St. Louis Blues, Leddy was brought in as a veteran to help stabilize a weak blue line. While his presence in the room has been solid, his play on the ice has been weak. Leddy has just four assists this season and is averaging 17:30 TOI, the lowest since the 2013-14 season.
Although it remains unclear if Leddy will accept an assignment to the AHL, the d-man will be available to be claimed by the rest of the NHL for the next 24 hours. As a veteran of the NHL, Leddy could ask the Sharks to terminate his contract and make him a free agent.
A similar scenario to this could be Brandon Saad. The Blues placed Saad on waivers last season, but agreed to terminate his contract, making him a free agent. The Vegas Golden Knights then signed the forward. For Leddy and the Sharks, the waiver move on Sunday doesn’t have a purpose attached to it (i.e., an AHL assignment or Mutual contract termination).
Leddy’s contract is in its final year of a four-year, $16 million contract ($4 million AAV).
The Sharks have carried nine defensemen for the majority of the season, leaving little roster flexibility. With Vincent Desharnais and Shakir Mukhamadullin close to returning, a decision was needed. Leddy appears to be the odd man out for the Sharks. There is also a chance Philipp Kurashev could join their team in Florida.
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