Tampa Bay Lightning and Seattle Kraken Shake Up Roster with Waivers!

Tampa, USA - In a significant shake-up in the NHL, the Tampa Bay Lightning have placed forward Conor Sheary on unconditional waivers, aiming to terminate his contract. The move comes just as free agency approaches, leaving both the Lightning and Sheary at a crossroads after a disappointing stint. Sheary, a veteran with ten years of NHL experience, managed to play only five regular season games for the Lightning this past season, without recording a single point to show for it.

With one year left on his contract worth $2 million, the Lightning are keen to move on. Sheary, who won back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins, has had a notable career but faced difficulties this past season. AP News notes that due to salary cap constraints, Sheary spent a significant part of the last season in the minors, managing to notch only four goals and 15 points over 62 games with Tampa Bay since he signed as a free agent two years ago.

Veleno’s Fresh Start with the Kraken

Alongside the developments with Sheary, the Seattle Kraken have placed center Joe Veleno on unconditional waivers. Acquired just the previous week from the Chicago Blackhawks as part of a trade involving forward Andre Burakovsky, Veleno’s time in Seattle is set to end before it even began. The intention behind this move is to buy out the final year of his contract, valued at $2.275 million.

Veleno, a former first-round draft pick, recorded 17 points over 74 games last season, split between Detroit and Chicago. He is expected to be a desirable prospect for teams in need of center depth as he enters free agency. If Veleno clears waivers, the Kraken will buy out the remainder, which will result in a cap hit of $795,833 for this season and $295,833 for the next season.

A Quick Look Back

Sheary’s career has been a rollercoaster ride. Over 593 NHL games, he has tallied a total of 124 goals and 267 points. Alongside the honors he earned in Pittsburgh, his journey has also taken him through Buffalo and Washington. While Sheary’s tenure with Tampa Bay didn’t pan out as hoped, his unclaimed status post-waivers would make him an unrestricted free agent when the signing period opens on Tuesday.

Both Sheary and Veleno find themselves at pivotal moments in their careers, with chances for fresh starts lingering on the horizon. For Sheary, it’s about finding a role that suits his skill set; for Veleno, it’s about proving he can be a valuable asset in a new team environment. The intrigue continues as the NHL landscape shifts yet again.