PUBLICATION
Sam Walker
January 18, 2026Â Â (1:55 PM)
Photo credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-Imagn Images
Former Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup champion Nick Leddy has been placed on waivers by the San Jose Sharks, and general manager Kyle Davidson has an opportunity to reunite the defenseman with Chi-Town.
Nick Leddy hits waivers Sunday, and Chicago Blackhawks cap space suddenly matters again.
Sheng Peng has reported that the San Jose Sharks placed Leddy on waivers Sunday.
Leddy is in the final season of a four-year, $16 million deal, a clean $4 million cap hit.
Waivers mean no trade assets move at all, only the contract and the roster spot.
The 34-year-old has four assists, six shots on net, 26 blocked shots, and four hits in 19 games. He has also been scratched plenty, which screams blue-line logjam more than a total fall off in San Jose.
Nick Leddy waivers tempt Chicago Blackhawks
Leddy still moves pucks with one touch, and he can settle a young partner with clean exits.
That is why the Chicago Blackhawks are an easy dot to connect; they have real cap breathing room right now ($28M). A claim costs no picks and no prospects; it simply adds Leddy’s $4 million hit to the books.
Chicago’s blue line has kids learning on the fly, and a veteran who has lived playoff pressure matters. Leddy was a first-round pick, 16th overall in 2009, and he won a Stanley Cup with Chicago in 2013.
If he clears, the expectation is he reports to the AHL San Jose Barracuda, which is a tough slide for a 1,000-game guy. For San Jose, it is a practical move to open minutes and keep younger defenders playing.
Now the league gets its chance to decide if experience at $4 million is a bargain or a burden.
Either way, Sunday’s waiver sheet will show who wants leadership without paying a trade price.
Previously on Chicago Hockey Insider