NHL teams hunting for defense get a surprise waiver opportunity

The Columbus Blue Jackets are barely a month into the 2026-27 season, but already the organization is making significant roster decisions on the back end.

On Wednesday, defenseman Carson Soucy was placed on waivers.

Soucy is not the only blue liner hitting the wire.

The Ottawa Senators also moved defenseman Cameron Crotty on the wire on Wednesday. There are the only two players placed on waivers today.

Speculation among fans quickly centred on the possibility that the Blue Jackets are clearing roster space to accommodate the return of Ivan Provorov, who has reportedly been dealing with a medical situation. None of those claims have been confirmed by the team.

Soucy, a veteran left-shot defenseman, has bounced around the league in recent years and was seen as a depth piece on Columbus's blue line. His placement on waivers suggests the front office has decided to prioritize other options, whether that means recalling younger players from the AHL or making room for a returning name.

As for Crotty, he has only played three games with Ottawa since the start of the campaign, and has yet to record a point. He does show a +1 rating and has a salary cap hit of $812,500 under his two-year contract with the Senators.

For teams around the NHL that have been searching for affordable defensive depth, this is exactly the kind of opportunity that tends to generate behind-the-scenes phone calls. Contending clubs with cap space and thin blue lines could see either Soucy or Crotty as worthwhile additions without having to give up draft capital or prospects.

The Blue Jackets and Senators are reshuffling their defensive corps, and the rest of the league will watch closely to see whether either name gets scooped up before clearing to their respective AHL clubs.