Blue Jackets waive reserve forward, AHL captain

The Columbus Blue Jackets have placed forward Brendan Gaunce on waivers, per PuckPedia. The move was confirmed by CapFriendly. Gaunce captained Columbus’ AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters, this season, helping to lead a team that’s made it to the Calder Cup’s Eastern Conference Finals. That series is set to begin on Thursday.

This is the second time Gaunce has been placed on waivers this season, having cleared them to join Cleveland in October. He spent the majority of his season in the minor leagues, appearing in 46 games with the Monsters and recording an AHL career-high of 19 goals and 39 points. Gaunce also appeared in 24 NHL games this season, scoring four points. It was the most time that Gaunce has spent in the NHL since his first year with Columbus in the 2021-22 season, when he totaled 30 games and seven points.

Gaunce has been on the NHL roster since March. Assuming he clears waivers, he’ll rejoin a Monsters lineup that’s breezed through the Calder Cup Playoffs, beating the Belleville Senators 3-1 after a first-round bye and sweeping the Syracuse Crunch in the North Division Finals. Gaunce has provided stout scoring and plenty of veteran leadership from the team’s second line. Those are the traits they’ll need, as Cleveland takes on a Hershey Bears lineup with an identical record in these playoffs.