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Ducks place Nick Jensen on waivers

Originally posted on Daily Faceoff | By Mike Gould | Last updated Oct 31, 2026 2:31 PM ET

The Anaheim Ducks have placed defenseman Nick Jensen on waivers for the purposes of assignment to the AHL’s San Diego Gulls, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported Saturday.

Jensen, 36, has a goal and an assist and has averaged 15:20 of ice time in three games with the Ducks to start the 2026-27 regular season. The Ducks signed the 6’0″ right-shot defender to a two-year, $2.25 million AAV contract on July 1.

In Jensen’s most recent game, a 7-6 Ducks loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday, he logged 14:49 of ice time and recorded an assist across 18 shifts. The Ducks placing him on waivers could serve as a sign that Pavel Mintyukov and Ian Moore are ready to return from injury absences; both defenders skated with the team on Saturday.

Waivers today:

Nick Jensen #FlyTogether https://t.co/Azjam8j1Tl
— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) October 31, 2026

The Detroit Red Wings originally selected Jensen in the fifth round (No. 150 overall) of the 2009 NHL Draft. The Rogers, Minn. product played with the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers and at St. Cloud State University before turning pro in the Red Wings organization in the 2013-14 season.

Jensen eventually made his NHL debut with the Red Wings in 2016, ultimately establishing himself as a steady bottom-pairing option over three seasons in Detroit before being traded to the Washington Capitals late in the 2018-19 campaign. After extending with the Capitals, Jensen played some of his best hockey with his new team, helping them reach the playoffs on five occasions.

Following the 2023-24 season, the Capitals traded Jensen and a third-round pick to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for defenseman Jakob Chychrun. The deal proved to be rather lopsided in the Capitals’ favor, as Chychrun went on to post back-to-back 20-goal seasons in Washington while Jensen played exclusively on Ottawa’s bottom pairing. The Senators allowed Jensen to leave for Anaheim as a free agent after the 2025-26 season.

In 697 career NHL games over parts of 11 seasons with the Red Wings, Capitals, Senators, and Ducks, Jensen has collected 27 goals and 174 points. He’s also skated in 33 career playoff contests, recording no points.

This article first appeared on Daily Faceoff and was syndicated with permission.

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