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10 best NHL waiver wire pickups in history ft. Recchi, Osgood, and more

Modified Feb 15, 2024 05:19 GMT

NHL clubs utilize waivers to adjust their rosters and stay salary cap compliant almost daily. Most of the time, these transactions are prospects or rookies going from the minors to the big club and vice versa.

However, prominent names have been placed on waivers several times throughout history, most likely because they no longer fit the team's plan and must relocate to continue their career.

As the NHL trade deadline inches closer, some franchises will have to make difficult decisions necessary to ensure their clubs are prepared for the stretch ahead, whether it results in a playoff spot or a top draft pick.

Here's a look through the long list of NHL veterans who passed through waivers and found ways to revitalize their careers after what could be deemed embarrassing to be placed on waivers.

10 best NHL waiver wire pickups in history

#10. Paul Byron - Oct. 6, 2015

Paul Byron played only 138 games with the Buffalo Sabres and Calgary Flames from 2010 to 2015 before the latter put him on waivers in October 2015, days before the season opener. That's when the Montreal Canadiens took a chance on the left winger, who didn't disappoint when given an opportunity to play.

Paul Byron, Montreal Canadiens at the 2021 NHL Stanley Cup Final

Although he only had 18 points in his first season in Quebec, he erupted a career-high 43 points the following season, reaching 22 goals, the first of back-to-back 20-goal campaigns. After seven years in a Canadiens sweater, he would collect 160 points in 383 games, leaving the club after the 2021-22 season, one year removed from playing in the Stanley Cup Finals.

#9. Rich Peverly - Jan. 10, 2009

Rich Peverly debuted with the Nashville Predators in 2006-07, skating in 46 games through two seasons before netting just nine points in 27 games during the 2008-09 season, when the team put him on waivers in January 2009.

That's when the Atlanta Thrashers claimed him, and he rewarded them with 35 points in 39 games while finishing first on the team with a plus-16 rating. The following year, he had his best season in the NHL, with 22 goals and 55 points.

Eventually, Peverly would win the Stanley Cup with the Boston Bruins, retiring in 2014 after a cardiac event during a game.

#8. Dominic Moore - Jan. 11, 2008

Dominic Moore became an NHL regular after the 2004-05 Lockout and played with the New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins before suiting up with the Minnesota Wild. During his brief 40-game stint with the Wild, he scored just five points, getting placed on waivers in January 2008.

The Toronto Maple Leafs scoped him up, and he netted 14 points in 38 games during the remainder of the 2007-08 campaign. Interestingly, Moore set career highs in goals (13), assists (32), and points (45) the following year before a late-season trade to the Sabres. The 13-year veteran skated with 10 teams during his career, which ended back in Toronto in 2018.

#7. Chris Mason - Oct. 2, 2003

Chris Mason was a fifth-round draft pick by the New Jersey Devils, who ended up with the Predators in late 1998. After just four games in 1999 and 2001, he left the club and was part of the Florida Panthers when Nashville circled back and claimed him on waivers in October 2003.

Mason eventually became Nashville's starter during his second stint, earning the 10th most votes for the Vezina Trophy in 2006-07. Although he followed that year with a losing one (18-22-6), he moved on to the St. Louis Blues, playing with the Thrashers and Winnipeg Jets, before coming home for a third time to finish his NHL career in 2012-13 with the Predators.

#6. Evgeni Nabokov - Jan. 22, 2011

Arguably everyone remembers where they were in 2011 when Evgeni Nabokov refused to play with the New York Islanders.

In one of the craziest waiver wire cases of all time, Nabokov had left the NHL in 2010 to play in his native Russia. However, upon returning to North America, he had to clear waivers when the Detroit Red Wings signed him, so the Islanders claimed him.

Ultimately, he refused to play for the team in 2011, sitting out the remainder of the regular season. Eventually, he came around and skated in 123 games for the franchise, compiling a 57-43-18 record over three seasons, departing the NHL after the 2014-15 season when he was a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

#5. Michael Grabner - Oct. 5, 2010

Michael Grabner began his NHL career with the Vancouver Canucks, playing just 20 games before being dealt to the Panthers, where he never played. Before the start of the new season, he was claimed off waivers by the Islanders, where he finished the year with 34 goals and 52 points to be a Calder Trophy finalist while being named to the All-Rookie Team.

Over the next five seasons, Grabner would collect 144 points in 297 games, ranking second in team goal scoring during this stretch, while finishing his tenure as the sixth-best scorer. Eventually, he would bounce around the NHL after his time on Long Island, playing with four other teams before leaving the league in 2020.

#4. Steve Sullivan - Oct. 23, 1999

Steve Sullivan finished his rookie campaign in 1996-97 with the ninth-most votes for the Calder Trophy. Despite not winning the award, he had 38 points in 54 games, reaching 40 points in 1998-99 and reaching the 20-goal plateau for the first time. However, at 25, he struggled in the following season with just a single point in seven games, forcing the Maple Leafs to put him on waivers.

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That's when the Chicago Blackhawks grabbed him, and he rewarded them with 64 points in 73 games before netting a career-high 34 goals and 75 points in his first complete season with the Blackhawks in 2000-01. Once he left Toronto, he had six seasons of 20 or more goals and finished his 16-year career with 747 points.

#3. Ilya Bryzgalov - Nov. 17, 2007

Ilya Bryzgalov won a Stanley Cup as a backup with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007. Despite playing with the club for six seasons, he only appeared in 77 games, earning a 27-27-9 record, which includes going 2-3-1 early in 2007-08. Unable to secure a role with the Ducks, they placed him on waivers, and the Arizona Coyotes were happy to acquire him.

In four seasons while in the desert, Bryzgalov became an everyday starter, dressing in 257 games, which led to a 130-93-27 record, and two playoff appearances in 2010 and 2011. As one of the game's best personalities, he played with the Philadelphia Flyers and Edmonton Oilers before finishing his NHL career with the Ducks in 2014-15.

#2. Chris Osgood - Sep. 28, 2001

Chris Osgood was a member of back-to-back Stanley Cup titles with the Red Wings in 1997 and 1998, serving as the team's starter in their repeat championship season. However, he could not lead the club back to a title in the following years, so Detroit left him exposed once Dominik Hasek came to town as a free agent.

Chris Osgood, Detroit Red Wings 2009 Stanley Cup Finals

Ultimately, the Islanders gave him a chance, and he produced a 49-39-10 record on Long Island before joining the Blues for two years from 2002 to 2004. When the NHL returned from the 2004-05 lockout, Osgood returned to Detroit, where he won a third Stanley Cup ring in 2008.

#1. Mark Recchi - Dec. 8, 2007

Mark Recchi scored over 500 goals and 1,500 points, winning the Stanley Cup on three occasions. After 1,357 NHL games and his second stint with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2007, he registered only eight points and was on waivers.

When the Thrashers selected him, he played 53 games and scored 40 points to finish fifth in team scoring. Once Recchi proved he could still play at an elite level, even at 39, he signed with the Lightning and retired as a champion in 2011 when the Bruins won the Stanley Cup.