Understanding Hockey Waivers: What You Need to Know

Have you ever wondered what it means when a hockey player gets put on waivers? If so, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll explain everything you need to know about hockey waivers, including what they are, how they work, and why teams use them.

Waivers are a confusing aspect of the NHL that can be difficult for even die-hard fans to understand. In short, waivers are a process that allows teams to move players between the NHL and its minor leagues or to send them to another team without losing them for nothing. But how does this process work? And who is eligible to be placed on waivers? Let’s find out.

Whether you’re a seasoned hockey fan or just getting into the sport, understanding waivers is essential to following the NHL. So, keep reading to learn more about this complex but crucial aspect of professional hockey!

What is Waivers in Hockey?

If you’re a fan of hockey, you’ve probably heard the term waivers thrown around a lot, but you might not be exactly sure what it means. In the most basic sense, waivers is a mechanism that is used by NHL teams to help maintain a certain level of parity in the league, and it is intended to give all teams an equal chance to claim players who have been waived by their current team.

When a player is put on waivers, it means that their current team has made them available to be claimed by any of the other teams in the league. The other teams have a certain period of time to claim the player, and if no one does, the player is then assigned to the team’s minor league affiliate, assuming they have one.

There are a lot of rules surrounding waivers, and they can be pretty complicated at times. For example, there are certain players who are exempt from being put on waivers, and there are specific procedures that teams need to follow when they are putting a player on waivers or claiming a player off waivers.

The waivers process is one that is often misunderstood, but it is an important part of the NHL landscape, and it can have a big impact on a team’s roster and overall success.

Now that you have a basic understanding of what waivers is in hockey, let’s dive a little deeper into the specifics of how the waivers process works, who can be put on waivers, and what happens when a player is claimed off waivers.

So, without further ado, let’s take a closer look at the world of waivers in hockey and what you need to know to be a knowledgeable fan.

Definition of Waivers in Hockey

In hockey, waivers is a term used to describe the process in which a team can release a player from their current contract and make them available to all other teams in the league. When a player is placed on waivers, other teams have the opportunity to claim them and take on their existing contract. If no team claims the player within a certain timeframe, they can be assigned to a team’s minor league affiliate.

The waiver process is designed to ensure a certain level of fairness and parity among NHL teams. Without waivers, the league’s wealthiest teams could simply sign all of the best players, leaving smaller-market teams with little chance of competing.

To be eligible for waivers, a player must have played in a certain number of games or been under contract for a specific amount of time, depending on their age and experience in the league.

When are Waivers Required?

In the NHL, a player must be put on waivers under the following circumstances:

1. When a team wants to send a player down to the American Hockey League (AHL) or any other minor league.
2. When a team wants to send a player to the ECHL or any other lower minor league.
3. When a team wants to trade a player who has played more than 160 NHL games, and that player is not exempt from waivers.
4. When a team wants to release a player from their contract, and that player is not exempt from waivers.

Exempt status refers to a player’s ability to be sent down to the minors without being exposed to waivers. Typically, players who are exempt include rookies and players who have played less than a certain number of games in the NHL.

Conditional waivers are a type of waiver where a team puts a player on waivers with the intention of assigning them to the minor leagues, but also with the option of recalling them before the end of the waiver period.

It is important to note that unconditional waivers mean that a player is being placed on waivers with the intention of terminating their contract. Once a player clears unconditional waivers, their contract is terminated, and they become a free agent.

Types of Waivers in Hockey

Unconditional Waivers: This type of waiver is when a player’s contract is terminated without any specific condition attached to it.

Conditional Waivers: This type of waiver is when a player’s contract is terminated with specific conditions attached to it. For example, the player may only be waived if a specific team claims him.

Regular Waivers: This type of waiver is the most common type in the NHL. A player on a one-way contract must clear regular waivers to be assigned to a team’s minor league affiliate.

Re-entry Waivers: This type of waiver is only applicable to players who have cleared regular waivers and are being recalled to the NHL. The player must clear re-entry waivers, and any team can claim him at half of his salary.

Exempt Waivers: This type of waiver applies to certain players who are exempt from regular waivers. For example, players on entry-level contracts or players who have played a certain number of games in the NHL.

How Does the Waiver Process Work?

When a player is waived, they are made available to be claimed by other teams in the NHL. The waiver process is designed to provide a fair opportunity for all teams to claim players who may no longer be needed by their current team.

Once a player is placed on waivers, they remain on waivers for a certain period of time, typically 24 hours. During this time, all other NHL teams have the opportunity to claim the player.

If multiple teams claim the same player, the team with the lowest point total in the league standings at that time is given priority. If no team claims the player, they can either be sent to the AHL or remain with their current team.

There are also specific rules surrounding conditional waivers, which come into play when a player is being waived for the purpose of terminating their contract.

Putting a Player on Waivers

Before a player can be placed on waivers, he must first clear waivers. This means that he must go unclaimed by all other NHL teams. If a player has not cleared waivers, he cannot be placed on waivers again until he has played 10 games in the NHL or 30 days have passed since he cleared.

Once a player has cleared waivers, he can be placed on waivers by his team. The team must notify the other NHL teams of their intention to place the player on waivers. The player will then be on waivers for 24 hours.

During this time, other NHL teams can claim the player. If multiple teams claim the player, the team with the lowest standing in the league at that time will have priority to claim the player.

If a team claims the player, they assume the player’s current contract and the player is immediately added to their roster. If no team claims the player, he remains with his current team and can be sent down to the AHL (American Hockey League) without being subject to waivers for a certain period of time.

Waiver Priority

When a player is put on waivers, all the other teams in the league have the opportunity to claim that player within a certain period of time. If more than one team submits a claim for the same player, the team with the highest priority gets to acquire the player. Waiver priority is based on the team’s standing in the league. The team with the lowest standing has the highest waiver priority, while the team with the highest standing has the lowest waiver priority.

Waiver priority is also affected by the number of times a team has claimed players off of waivers during the season. If two or more teams have the same priority, the team that has not made a claim in the longest time gets priority.

Waiver priority can be traded between teams, but only during certain times of the season. A team’s waiver priority can be a valuable asset, especially if they are looking to acquire a specific player that has been put on waivers.

Who Can Be Put on Waivers?

Any player in the National Hockey League (NHL) can be put on waivers. This includes players on entry-level contracts, one-way contracts, and two-way contracts.

Typically, players who are put on waivers are those who are not producing as expected, are injured, or are being sent down to the minor leagues.

Players with no-trade clauses can also be put on waivers, but they must waive their no-trade clause before being claimed by another team. If they are not claimed, they remain with their current team.

Teams can also put players on waivers for the purpose of buying out their contract. This allows the team to terminate the player’s contract early and free up salary cap space.

It’s important to note that when a player is put on waivers, it doesn’t necessarily mean that their career is over. In some cases, being claimed by another team can give a player a fresh start and a chance to revitalize their career.

Players Eligible for Waivers

• Entry-Level players who have not yet played 80 NHL games or four professional seasons (including AHL games).
• Exempt players who are exempt from waivers due to their age or experience, such as players on entry-level contracts, injured players, and certain goaltenders.
• Veteran players who have played 100 or more NHL games and are not exempt.
• Buried players who have been sent down to the AHL but whose cap hit exceeds a certain threshold, which is currently $1.125 million. Teams can choose to “bury” these players in the minors to free up cap space.
• Unrestricted Free Agents who have signed a contract during the current season and have not yet played in 10 games or 30 days.

It’s important to note that players who are not exempt from waivers and are claimed by another team must be immediately placed on that team’s NHL roster. If the team attempts to send the player down to the AHL, they will have to go through the waiver process again. Additionally, if a player clears waivers and is assigned to the AHL, they can be recalled to the NHL without going through waivers again if they are recalled within 30 days or before playing in 10 NHL games.

Overall, the waiver process can be complicated and can have significant implications for a team’s roster and salary cap situation. Teams must carefully consider their options and the impact of placing players on waivers before making any decisions.

In conclusion, waivers in hockey are an important tool for teams to manage their rosters and salary cap situations. The waiver process determines which players are eligible to be claimed by other teams and which players can be sent down to the AHL without the risk of being claimed. Understanding the waiver rules and regulations is essential for any team looking to make roster moves.

Exemptions from Waivers

Not all players are subject to waivers. Some players are exempted based on certain criteria:

• Rookies: Players who are in their first professional season or have played in fewer than 10 NHL games are exempted from waivers.
• Injured players: Players who are injured and cannot play for at least 10 games or 24 days can be exempted from waivers, but only if they were on the active roster at the time of their injury.
• Emergency call-ups: Players who are called up from the AHL as emergency replacements for injured players can be exempted from waivers for a limited time.

It’s important to note that while these players may be exempt from waivers, they still need to meet other requirements and may be subject to other rules and restrictions.

It’s also worth mentioning that some players may have special clauses in their contracts that exempt them from waivers. For example, a player with a no-movement clause cannot be placed on waivers without their consent.

Minimum Salary for Waiver Eligibility

Waivers can be a confusing process, and one factor that can add to the confusion is determining which players are eligible for waivers. In the NHL, players who make less than a certain amount of money are exempt from waivers. For the 2021-2022 season, the minimum salary for waiver eligibility is $1,075,000.

Players who make less than this amount can be assigned to the minor leagues without having to clear waivers. However, once they earn more than this amount, they are subject to the waiver process. It’s important to note that this minimum salary is pro-rated based on the number of days the player spends in the NHL or AHL during the season.

For example, if a player is called up from the AHL and spends 50 days on an NHL roster, but their annual salary is only $900,000, they would still be eligible for waivers, since their pro-rated salary would be $1,055,556 (50/186 of their salary).

What Happens When a Player is Claimed off Waivers?

Claiming Process: When a player is placed on waivers, other NHL teams have 24 hours to claim that player. If more than one team claims the player, the team with the lowest standing in the league has priority.

Assignment: If a player is claimed off waivers, the team that claimed the player takes over the player’s current contract and the player is immediately assigned to that team’s NHL roster.

No Claim: If a player goes unclaimed, the team that placed the player on waivers can then assign the player to their minor league affiliate without any restrictions or loss of the player’s rights.

Re-entry Waivers: If a player is claimed off waivers and then waived again within a certain timeframe, the player must go through re-entry waivers. This allows any team to claim the player at half of his current salary while the original team pays the other half.

Claiming a Player off Waivers

Waiver Priority: Teams with a higher waiver priority have the first opportunity to claim a player off waivers.

Claiming Process: When a team claims a player off waivers, they are essentially making a waiver request for that player. Once a waiver request is made, the team must wait 24 hours to see if any other team with higher priority makes a claim.

Successful Claim: If no team with higher priority claims the player, the claiming team is awarded the player and must assume the remaining contract.

Unsuccessful Claim: If a team with higher priority claims the player, the claiming team’s request is denied, and the player remains with their current team.

What Happens to the Player’s Contract?

When a player is claimed off waivers, their current contract is transferred to their new team.

If a player on a one-way contract is claimed off waivers, they will report to their new team and their new team will be responsible for paying their salary. If the player is not claimed and is assigned to the minor leagues, they will continue to earn their full NHL salary.

On the other hand, if a player on a two-way contract is claimed off waivers, their new team will pay them the NHL salary while they are on the NHL roster, and a lower salary if they are assigned to the minor leagues. If the player is not claimed, they will be sent to the minor leagues and continue to earn their AHL salary.

In the case of a player with a no-trade clause (NTC) or a no-movement clause (NMC), the player must first waive their clause in order to be placed on waivers. If they are claimed, the new team is bound by the terms of the NTC or NMC.

Impact on the Player’s Former Team

When a player is claimed off waivers, it has an impact on their former team. If the player was in the NHL, the team will lose a player from their roster. This could impact their depth at a specific position, and they may need to call up a player from their minor league affiliate to fill the void.

Additionally, the team may have to eat part of the player’s contract. If the player was on a one-way contract, the team will have to pay their salary while the player is on another team. This can be problematic for teams that are close to the salary cap limit.

The team may also have to deal with the loss of the player’s production. If the player was an important piece of the team’s offense or defense, the team will have to find a way to replace their output. This can be difficult, especially if the player was a star player or a key member of the team’s leadership group.

Finally, if the player was placed on waivers because of poor performance, it could impact the team’s morale. The other players on the team may see this as a sign that management is not happy with the team’s performance and may make changes. This can lead to a drop in morale and a decline in team performance.

Can a Team Pull a Player off Waivers?

Yes, a team can pull a player off waivers, but only under certain circumstances. If a team puts a player on waivers and then decides they want to keep them, they can pull the player off waivers before any other team claims them. However, once a player has been claimed by another team, the original team cannot pull them back.

If a team does decide to pull a player off waivers, they must do so before the waiver period expires. The waiver period is typically 24 hours, so a team would need to act quickly to pull a player off waivers.

It’s important to note that a team can only pull a player off waivers once during the waiver period. If they put the player back on waivers after pulling them off, they cannot pull them off again.

Pulling a Player off Waivers

If a team decides that they no longer want to place a player on waivers, they can pull the player off waivers before another team claims them. However, there are some rules to follow:

• The team must notify the league of their decision to pull the player off waivers.
• If the player was already claimed by another team, the original team cannot pull the player back.
• If multiple teams placed a claim on the player, the team with the lowest waiver priority will be awarded the player.
• The player can only be pulled off waivers once in a season.

If a team pulls a player off waivers, they can keep the player on their roster, trade them to another team, or send them to the minors (if they have minor league options remaining).

It’s important for teams to carefully consider their decision to place a player on waivers and whether or not they want to risk losing the player to another team. Once a player is claimed off waivers, the original team’s options are limited, and they may not be able to get the player back.

Why Do Teams Put Players on Waivers?

Flexibility: One reason why teams put players on waivers is to give themselves roster flexibility. Teams may have too many players at a certain position and need to make room for someone else.

Salary Cap Management: Another reason for putting players on waivers is to manage their salary cap situation. A team may want to move a player with a high salary in order to free up space to sign other players or avoid penalties.

Player Development: Teams may also put players on waivers as part of their player development strategy. If a young player is not yet ready to play at the NHL level, they may be sent down to the minor leagues in order to gain more experience and develop their skills.

Salary Cap Flexibility

One of the main reasons teams put players on waivers is to gain salary cap flexibility. When a player is claimed off waivers, their entire contract is transferred to the claiming team. This means that the original team is relieved of their contract and salary cap obligations.

For teams that are close to the salary cap limit, putting a player on waivers can be a necessary move to free up space for other players or future acquisitions.

Additionally, putting a player on waivers can allow teams to create room for younger or cheaper players who may have the potential to contribute more to the team in the long run.

Frequently Asked Questions