NHL Waiver Priority Rules and Order Today

When an NHL player is announced to be placed on waivers, other teams can claim him within 24 hours. If the player is not claimed by any teams, he can be assigned to the respective team's minor league affiliates.

That being said, it is not necessary for the teams to send the players to the minor leagues. In case the player is not claimed by other franchises, the team itself can keep the player.

However, if a player is placed on waivers before November 1 and is claimed by more than one team, the player will go to the team that stands at a lower position in the previous season.

It is meant to say that, the team standing at last in the previous NHL season has the opportunity to claim the particular player on the waiver.

When is the Waiver period?

Waivers are effective 12 days prior to the start of the regular season. They last until the day after a team's regular playing season.

For example: the Florida Panthers' playoff began on April 17, 2023. The waiver period for the Panthers would then last till April 18.

Who is Placed on Waivers?

A team keeps a player on the waiver based on the combination of the age at which he signed his first NHL contract, his tenure in the league, and the number of games played.

Waiver eligibility is different for goaltenders and skaters. Skaters shall be put on the waivers earlier than the goaltenders.

Usually, the player signing his first contract earlier is exempted from the waivers.

What Does it Mean to Clear Waivers In NHL?

When a team places a player on the waiver and none of the NHL franchises claim him, the player will then report to the minor league. This is termed a "clear waiver" in the NHL.

The NHL teams are currently on the way to shrinking the size of the training camp roster as the 2023-24 regular season is just about to begin.

NHL waivers are a great option for the teams as a tool to reduce the number of players on the team.

Not only for the teams, waiver is a good option for the players as well, since they still have a chance to play in the league if the players placed on the waivers are claimed by another franchise.

Here is the list of NHL players placed on waivers for the 2023-24 season:

• Zane McIntyre
• Jett Woo
• Philippe Maillet
• Brett Seney
• Trevor Carrick
• Hugh McGing
• Matthew Peca
• Dominic Toninato
• Hayden Hodgson
• Louis Domingue
• Kristian Reichel
• Jacob Lucchini
• Jeff Malott
• Mitchell Chaffee
• Wyatt Kalynuk
• Ashton Sautner
• Riley Sutter
• Nick Swaney
• Sheldon Dries
• Steven Santini
• Scott Sabourin
• Jansen Harkins
• Jacob Moverare
• Matt Irwin
• Joe Hicketts
• Akil Thomas
• Lias Andersson
• Michael DiPietro
• Samuel Fagemo
• Jeremy Davies
• Kevin Connauton
• Will Bitten
• Steven Fogarty
• Mac Hollowell
• Sean Day
• Philippe Myers
• Joseph Cecconi
• Nathan Todd
• Zach Sawchenko
• Mike Hardman
• David Gust
• Mikhail Maltsev
• Chase Priskie
• T.J. Tynan
• Jack Rathbone
• Spencer Martin
• Anton Blidh
• Alex Belzile
• Tyler Wotherspoon
• Spencer Smallman
• Keaton Middleton

List of players for whom waivers are cleared:

• Mike Reilly    
• Dysin Mayo    
• Josh Currie    
• Dustin Tokarski    
• Devin Cooley    
• Roland McKeown    
• Josh Archibald    
• Anthony Deangelo    
• Jonathan Gruden    
• Brady Keeper    
• Josh Bailey    
• Liam Kirk
• Mitchell Stephens    
• Matt Duchene    
• Sheldon Rempal    
• Byron Froese    
• Rem Pitlick    
• Gage Quinney    
• Ty Smith    
• Jordan Gross    
• Justin Richards    
• Lucas Condotta    
• Greg McKegg    
• Blake Wheeler    
• Andy Andreoff    
• Filip Zadina    
• Zack Kassian    
• Callahan Burke    
• Troy Grosenick    
• Nicolas Beaudin    
• Xavier Ouellet    
• Kevin Gravel    
• Nicolas Petan    
• Mark Jankowski 
• Christian Wolanin    
• Patrik Nemeth    
• Anthony Angello    
• Alex Galchenyuk    
• Mason Geertsen    
• Jake Leschyshyn    
• Kailer Yamamoto    
• Dillon Heatherington    
• Jonas Røndbjerg    
• Jean-Sébastien Dea    
• Kiefer Sherwood    
• Garrett Pilon    
• Jesper Frödén    
• Drake Caggiula    
• Taylor Fedun    
• John Hayden    
• Michael McCarron
• Lassi Thomson (Claimed on waivers by Anaheim Ducks)

When a player is placed on waiver and multiple teams claim him, the player will go to the team which was ranked lower in the previous season.

To make it simple, the Coyotes stand with the lowest record throughout the 2022-23 season and the Bruins have the top record in the last season.

Now, if any NHL franchise places a player on the waiver, the Coyotes will have the maximum opportunity to claim the player, while the Bruins will have the minimum chance.

NHL waiver order for 2023 is shown in the table here:

Some of the most recent claims in the NHL are briefed here:

1. Lassi Thomson - Claimed by Anaheim Ducks

Ottawa Senators placed Thomson on waivers and was claimed by the Ducks on October 1st. Thomson was drafted by the Senators in the 2019 NHL Draft. He appeared in 18 NHL games with the Senators throughout two seasons.

Thomson mostly played the 2022-23 season with the AHL's Belleville Senators and recorded 7 goals and twenty-six assists.

2. Ty Emberson - Claimed by San Jose Sharks

Emberson was drafted by the Arizona Coyotes in the third round of the 2018 NHL Draft. He was placed on the waiver by the New York Rangers on October 1, without playing any games for the team.

Thankfully, Emberson has been claimed by the Sharks. Throughout the 2022-23 season, Emberson recorded 7 goals and 20 assists playing in the AHL with the Hartford Wolf Pack.

3. Spencer Martin - Claimed by Columbus Blue Jackets

The Vancouver Canucks placed their goaltender, Martin on conditional waivers on September 28. He was claimed by the Jackets the next day.

Martin is an NHL 2016 draftee selected by the Avalanche. He appeared in the NHL with the Avalanche for a season and Canucks for 2 seasons.

4. Scott Harrington - Claimed by Anaheim Ducks

The San Jose Sharks traded Harrington as a part of Timo Meier and was placed on waiver the same day. The Ducks claimed him on February 28.

Throughout the last season, Harrington posted a record of a goal and six assists with the Sharks.

5. Chris Tierney - Claimed by the Montreal Canadiens

Tierney played for the Florida Panthers before he was claimed by the Montreal Canadiens on February 24.

Throughout his 574 NHL career games, Tierney stands with 229 points for 75 goals and 154 assists.

Here are other waiver claims made in the NHL

• Kasperi Kapanen - Claimed by St. Louis Blues
• Lane Pederson - Claimed by Columbus Blue Jackets
• Casey Fitzgerald - Claimed by Florida Panthers
• Jake Leschyshyn - Claimed by New York Rangers
• Michael Eyssimont - Claimed by San Jose Sharks
• Karson Kuhlman - Claimed by Winnipeg Jets
• Eeli Tolvanen - Claimed by Seattle Kraken
• Jayson Megna - Claimed by Anaheim Ducks
• Magnus Hellberg - Claimed by Detroit Red Wings
• Tyson Jost - Claimed by Buffalo Sabres
• Rudolfs Balcers - Claimed by Tampa Bay Lightning
• Magnus Hellberg - Claimed by Seattle Kraken
• Nicolas Aube-Kubel - Claimed by Washington Capitals
• Kieffer Bellows - Claimed by Philadelphia Flyers
• Dryden Hunt - Claimed by Colorado Avalanche