Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Sheldon Souray clears waivers, so what’s next?

Blackhawks Oilers Hockey

Chicago Blackhawks’ Dustin Byfuglien, right, takes a hit from the Edmonton Oilers’ Sheldon Souray during third period NHL hockey action in Edmonton, Alberta, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2010. The Oilers lost 4-2. (AP Photo/THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Ulan)

AP

To the surprise of just about no one, expensive and wayward “Edmonton Oilers” defenseman Sheldon Souray cleared waivers, according to the Ottawa Sun and various other sources.

Now that this formality is out of the way, we move to the $5.4 million question: what’s next? Here are a few of those most realistic possibilities for the injury-prone defenseman with the hellacious slap shot.

  • The Oilers could see if some team would claim him off of re-entry waivers, although that would mean that they would need to cover a portion of his salary and also deal with a sizable salary cap hit ... all so he could play for another team. Dallas Stars fans know this scenario well, as the team is paying Sean Avery to agitate people as a member of the New York Rangers.
  • Edmonton might be able to find a trading partner for Souray. Chances are, with Souray’s beefy cap hit and notable flaws, they’ll be required to take one or maybe even two bad contracts in return to make it work. Let’s not forget though, that for all his blemishes, he does bring some compelling pluses to the table. Oilers fans might grimace at the idea of taking on Mike Commodore’s deal (since it is longer and he’s more or less a plugger with a fantastic sense of humor and an even more fantastic ginger afro), but their front office backed itself into a corner and will have to make a compromise to move Souray. Columbus just seems to make too much sense, all things considered.
  • Souray could be given the Wade Redden treatment (banishment to the minors) or the Cristobal Huet deportation (playing overseas). The problem with this idea is that the Oilers are not as deep-pocketed as the Rangers and Blackhawks, so they might not be ecstatic about paying a player that much money to play somewhere else.
  • In a more rational world, the Oilers could have simply allowed Souray to play ... even if it was just to increase his trade value or (dare I say it) improve their power play. Oh well.

Asking Souray not to show up for training camp was an interesting choice, but in most ways “interesting” is another way of saying “risky and foolish.” At least in the short term. The one thing you could say for the Oilers front office is that they can point to that moment as a sign that they’re willing to stand their collective ground, even if it produces some immediate pains.

It’s hard to imagine this situation working out well for the Oilers, but maybe the “right people” will get injured and they’ll find a reluctant trade partner. Whichever way it goes, we will keep you updated.