Two former first-round picks hit the waiver wire: Opportunity for the New York Rangers?

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Joshua Deeds
October 25, 2024 (6:32 PM)

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NHL teams are still working on perfecting their rosters, as some team's situations remain fluid.

The Boston Bruins and Utah Hockey Club are two of three teams who would utilize waivers today as they sent two former first-round picks to the AHL, that is if they clear.

The players involved are Riley Tufte, and Kailer Yamamoto, who were both drafted in the first round of the 2016 and 2017 NHL drafts.

Pavel Novak of the Minnesota Wild was placed on waivers today, for the purposes of terminating his contract. He joins Tufte, and Yamamoto on waivers today. Novak was a 5th-round pick by the Minnesota Wild in 2020, drafted 146th overall.

Yamamoto was drafted 22nd overall in 2017, was traded to the Detroit Red Wings in 2023, and would be placed on waivers soon afterward. He'd end up in Seattle and would attempt to revive his NHL career scoring only 16 points( 8 G, 8 A) in 59 games.

He signed a PTO in Utah, and since then in 3 games hasn't been able to put together a point for his new club. He'll be sent down to the AHL if he clears waivers.

Tufte who was drafted 25th overall in 2016, was signed by the Boston Bruins this season and played 2 games for the Bruins on an offense-deprived team. In those 2-games he was unable to contribute, and instead is joining Yamamoto, a fellow 1st rounder on waivers.

As for Novak he's yet to have cracked an NHL lineup and will instead try and return home to Czechia and carve out a career there.

Of all these the most surprising player on waivers is still Yamamoto who sounded motivated during preseason play, and contributed 2 goals to Utah's exhibition games.

Then again he had the benefit of playing hockey with Barrett Hayton, and Clayton Keller.

"When you are playing with two skilled players like that and you try to get to the back door, they are going to find you," Yamamoto said. "So they found me twice."

Those two players? Utah's regular top-liners Clayton Keller and Barrett Hayton. Yamamoto proved he fit right in with that duo, crashing the net and digging for pucks - oh, and scorings a couple of goals.

Some teams could find a spot for Yamamoto and could make him a reclamation project. But who has the space currently?

Calgary, Columbus, and Chicago could. But will they? It's even harder to tell as some GM's intentions are opaque at times.