Leafs' forward Joey Anderson available for free on waivers
The Toronto Maple Leafs have placed forward Joey Anderson on waivers, offering him for free to the rest of the NHL.
Anderson has played just 14 games for the Leafs this season, spending most of his year with the AHL Marlies, where he’s taken the ice 30 times. In the NHL, Anderson potted a pair of goals and an assist, while his AHL numbers have been much better, with 27 points in 30 games.
Placed on NHL waivers today: Joey Anderson (TOR), Justin Kirkland (ANA) and Chris Tierney (FLA).
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) February 22, 2023
Now, every NHL team will have a chance to add the 24-year-old winger, who holds a $750,000 cap hit and is a restricted free agent at the end of this season.
Anderson has already been on waivers this season too, hitting the wire on October 8, 2022, for re-assignment to the Marlies. He was most recently recalled to the Maple Leafs on January 23.
The reason is less apparent this time, although if he clears, it will offer the Leafs more flexibility for 29 days afterwards, where he could move between the NHL and AHL without going through waivers. General manager Kyle Dubas made a similar transaction on Wayne Simmonds earlier this season, which gave the club a little more wiggle room.
JOEY ANDERSON. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. đź‘Ź pic.twitter.com/fGrxVXaVzo
— Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) October 28, 2022
Still, the Leafs are offering up a serviceable NHL player for free, yet they wouldn’t lose a player critical to their lineup. Moreover, the introduction of Noel Acciari forced Anderson down the depth chart, laying the groundwork for him to be sent to waivers.
Should the 2018 U.S. World Juniors captain suit up for the Marlies again, he would add another offensive weapon to a team already atop the AHL’s North Division as Toronto continues a run for the Calder Cup.
Meanwhile, the Leafs are riding a high in the NHL, coming off a 6-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres and looking towards a Friday night matchup with the Minnesota Wild.
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