from KatyaKnappe of PensionPlanPuppets,

It’s waivers time again. Yes, it is weird that the waivers period is starting before training camp this season, but that’s hardly the weirdest thing about this year. We will have to learn to roll with it.

In a normal season, the waiver period starts 12 days before the end of training camp. The purpose of starting it so early in camp, when most waived players go through on the last two days, is to give teams who are sending players off to an AHL training camp in a distant city time to get the player there.

That’s what waivers are for. They are applied to all players, who are not exempt, when they are cut from the NHL to be sent to the minors. It isn’t a mark of questionable character or an attempt to get rid of a player. Teams are not hoping the bum gets taken in 99.9% of cases.

Waivers exist to prevent teams from stockpiling extra players capable of holding down NHL jobs. A team that claims a player on waivers has to keep them in the NHL. If they try to cut them to the AHL, the originating team can just grab them back and pop them on their AHL team. That’s why waiver claims are very rare. There’s usually a dozen or so a year, and the bulk of them are goalies.

That’s a normal year. This year, the new season rules state the waivers period is today, December 28, which is more than 12 days before opening day and before training camp even starts, even for the non-playoff teams. So what’s up?

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