Multiple players on waivers today as NHL teams begin trimming rosters

It's that time of year again, folks. Training camps are in full swing, preseason games are underway, and NHL front offices are starting to make the tough calls that come with whittling down their rosters. Monday brought a fresh batch of waiver transactions, and while none of these names are exactly superstars, there are some familiar faces heading toward the AHL as the 2026-27 season inches closer.

The Kraken Lead the Way in Cuts

Seattle has been the busiest team so far when it comes to trimming the fat. The Kraken placed four players on waivers on Monday: forwards John Hayden, Logan Morrison, and Jon-Randall Avon, along with goaltender Victor Ostman. All four are now eligible to be picked up by any of the league's other 31 clubs, though it remains to be seen whether anyone will bite.

Hayden is the most seasoned of the bunch, with 272 NHL games under his belt spread across stints with the Blackhawks, Devils, Coyotes, Sabres, and Kraken. The 31-year-old center suited up for just three games with Seattle last season, spending the bulk of his year with the Coachella Valley Firebirds in the AHL, where he put up 24 points in 67 games. Morrison might be the most intriguing name on the list, though. The 24-year-old had a pretty solid AHL campaign with 61 points in 68 games for Coachella Valley, though his NHL resume is limited to four scoreless games back in 2023-24. Some fans on social media have speculated that Morrison could get claimed. Avon, 23, chipped in 24 points in 45 AHL games last season, while Ostman, 25, made a single NHL start for Seattle, stopping 33 of 35 shots in a 2-0 loss to Colorado in April. He posted a .906 save percentage across 36 AHL appearances.

Pouliot Hits Waivers Again

On the Chicago side, the Blackhawks placed defenseman Derrick Pouliot on waivers. Once upon a time, Pouliot was the eighth overall pick in the 2012 draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins, but his career trajectory has been a long, winding road through seven different organizations. The 32-year-old left-shot blueliner had his most productive NHL stretch with the Vancouver Canucks from 2017 to 2019, where he recorded 34 points in 133 games. He hasn't played in the NHL since appearing in five games with the Dallas Stars during the 2023-24 season, and he spent last year bouncing between the AHL affiliates of the Rangers and Blackhawks, combining for 34 points in 68 games.

It was also reported that Boston Bruins forward Navrin Mutter cleared waivers on Monday, meaning he passed through unclaimed and will be assigned to the minors. These moves are all pretty standard for this stage of camp, and we should expect plenty more names to follow in the coming days as teams finalize their opening night lineups. The regular season is right around the corner, and the roster picture is starting to come into focus.