The Vancouver Canucks placed Loui Eriksson on waivers again after clearing just before the season began. Eriksson has played in just one game, but the team decided to reset his waiver clock so it can continue to move him to the taxi squad. He isn’t alone on waivers Wednesday. Artem Anisimov of the Ottawa Senators and Taylor Fedun of the Dallas Stars both were placed on waivers as well, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.
Seeing Eriksson there shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. Despite carrying a $6M cap hit, tied for the highest on the team, the 35-year-old forward is basically a practice player at this point in his career. He suited up 49 times last season for the Canucks but recorded just six goals and 13 points. Eriksson received an odd chance to skate beside Bo Horvat on the weekend but was quickly moved back off that line and scratched the following game. He won’t be claimed, not at that price.
Anisimov’s story isn’t all that different. Now 32, Anisimov hasn’t been a regular in the Senators lineup this season and has just one point in four games. His contract carries a $4.55M cap hit (though the actual salary remaining is very low), and he is a shell of his former self. There was a time when Anisimov could be relied on for 20 goals and 40 points, but that seems to be in the past—at least while he remains in Ottawa.
Fedun is a much different kind of player, still scratching by for any chance he can get in the NHL. The 32-year-old undrafted defenseman has played in just 127 games over the course of his long professional career and none this season with the Stars. He does have some interesting possession statistics over the last two seasons and has recorded 20 points in 81 games, but it seems unlikely that anyone would claim him, given the other names that have slipped through waivers already this season.
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