Two goalies and two former 1st round picks up for grabs on waivers

This just in from Sportsnet NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, goaltenders Keith Kinkaid (Boston Bruins) and Calvin Pickard (Edmonton Oilers), defenseman Slater Koekkoek (Oilers) and forward Lias Andersson (Los Angeles Kings) have all been placed on waivers.

Check it out:

While there's been plenty of action on the NHL waiver wire in the past week, today's edition may be the most significant. Sure, there aren't as many options as we've seen in recent days, but the quality is unquestionably there with today's class. Goaltenders are always in demand so I could see both Kinkaid and Pickard generating interest. And Koekkoek and Andersson are both former 1st round picks... that always carries some weight.

Neither Kinkaid nor Pickard have played meaningful NHL games the past few seasons, but they are both always near the top of goaltending statistics categories at the AHL level. Might a team with nothing to lose claim them and give them the NHL shot that they've been seeking for seemingly their entire careers? 

As for Koekkoek, he has pretty much established himself as an NHL/AHL tweener at this point in his career. He's 28 years old and has failed to play a full NHL campaign since being drafted 10th overall back in 2012. He managed just 19 games with the Oilers last season, with his career high being 42 games with the Chicago Blackhawks back in 2019-20.

Andersson though... he's intriguing. Drafted 7th overall in just 2017, he's just 23 years old and has proven that he has some skill. He forced a trade from the New York Rangers because he felt he wasn't getting a fair shot in that organization and now he finds himself on the waiver wire with the Kings. He put up just one goal and two points in 20 games with the Kings last season, but managed an incredible six goals in four games with their AHL affiliate Ontario Reign. His best pro season came in 2018-19 with the AHL's Hartford Wolf Park where he scored six goals and 20 points in 36 games. If it's true that top picks usually get three or four chances at establishing themselves in the NHL, I could absolutely see Andersson being claimed on waivers. Stay tuned.