Tuesday’s waiver list was an eyebrow-raiser because Jordan Nolan was on it. The elevation of such eyebrows seemed justified once the Buffalo Sabres snatched him up today.
If Wednesday’s waivers share a theme, it might be failed (or at least struggling) first-round picks.
Emerson Etem, Beau Bennett and Stefan Matteau were all first-rounders. Bennett (20th overall) and Etem (29th) were both selected in 2010, while Matteau was the 29th choice in 2012.
Ty Rattie just barely misses that theme; he was a second-rounder in 2011, yet was very close to going in the first as the Blues made him the 32nd pick. Landon Ferraro falls into a similar spot: 32nd overall, only in 2009.
Here’s the full list, via TVA’s Renaud Lavoie.
Waivers pic.twitter.com/rK9HpEYkog
— Renaud Lavoie (@renlavoietva) September 27, 2017
It will be interesting to see if teams decide that some of these guys are worth a very minor gamble.
Bennett, 25, ranks among those getting some hype:
Bennett doesn't score a lot but he's the perfect modern day bottom-6 forward. Somebody should definitely pick him up.
— Todd Cordell (@ToddCordell) September 27, 2017
His development was stunted by injuries, particularly during his days with the Pittsburgh Penguins, so perhaps Bennett is one of those guys who can turn things around.
For some, it sure seems like their NHL careers might not really pan out.