Former top prospect Rathbone placed on waivers today

Jack Rathbone's NHL career has taken another disappointing turn, with the Buffalo Sabres placing the 27-year-old defenseman on waivers Friday.

According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, Buffalo has officially exposed Rathbone to the waiver wire, potentially opening the door for another organization to take a chance on the former Vancouver Canucks prospect.

Rathbone began the 2026-27 season on non-roster injured reserve after dealing with an undisclosed injury. His placement on waivers suggests he is now approaching a return to game action. Should he clear, the expectation is that he will report to the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League.

Originally selected by the Canucks in the fourth round, 95th overall, of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, Rathbone arrived in professional hockey with plenty of promise.

After an impressive two-year career at Harvard University, where he recorded 53 points in 61 games, Rathbone signed his entry-level contract with Vancouver in 2020.

The offensive-minded defenseman showed flashes of potential during his time in the Canucks organization, earning AHL All-Rookie Team honours in 2021-22 after producing 40 points in just 39 games with Abbotsford.

Unfortunately, translating that offensive success to the NHL proved considerably more difficult.

Rathbone appeared in just 28 NHL games with Vancouver between 2020 and 2023, recording two goals and three assists for five points. He was eventually traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2023, ending his time with the organization that drafted him.

His NHL opportunities have remained limited since then, with much of his professional career spent in the AHL.

Buffalo signed Rathbone as a free agent in 2024, hoping he could eventually provide organizational defensive depth. However, Friday's waiver placement represents another setback in his efforts to establish himself as a full-time NHL defenseman.

At 27 years old, Rathbone still has an opportunity to get his career back on track. Whether that opportunity comes in Buffalo or somewhere else remains to be seen.