Updated 2x at 12:43 PM: The Red Wings’ waived players cleared the waiver wire today:
CAR claims Forsberg— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) January 12, 2021
SJ claims Balcers— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) January 12, 2021
NJ claims Comrie— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) January 12, 2021
NASH claims Sbisa— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) January 12, 2021
Everyone else cleared— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) January 12, 2021
Evgeny Svechnikov cleared waivers today. He can be assigned to taxi squad or @griffinshockey or be on #RedWings season-opening roster. https://t.co/70Mp04jJ8L— Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) January 12, 2021
Evgeny Svechnikov not claimed by anyone on waivers; #RedWings don’t lose any players, don’t pick up anyone— Ted Kulfan (@tkulfan) January 12, 2021
Update: Kulfan weighs in in article form:
Svechnikov, 24, appeared to injure his arm in the team’s first intrasquad scrimmage Jan. 5, but was on the ice for Monday’s practice. The team had a day off Tuesday.
Svechnikov has played in 20 games over three seasons with the Wings, with four points (two goals). Svechnikov missed the entire 2018-19 season after tearing an ACL in the Wings’ final exhibition game.
In 51 games with Grand Rapids last season Svechnikov had 11 goals and 14 assists.
The Wings will release the names on their 23-man roster and taxi squad before 5 p.m. Tuesday.
Update #2: Here’s MLive’s Ansar Khan:
Forwards Dominic Turgeon, Riley Barber and Kyle Criscuolo, defensemen Joe Hicketts, Brian Lashoff and Dylan McIlrath, and goaltenders Calvin Pickard and Kevin Boyle all cleared waivers Tuesday and can be assigned to Grand Rapids.
At least one of the goalies will be assigned to the taxi squad (four-to-six players), and some of the skaters can be assigned to the taxi squad as well.
The Red Wings open the season Thursday against the Carolina Hurricanes at Little Caesars Arena (7:30 p.m., Fox Sports Detroit).
And the Free Press’s Helene St. James weighs in as well:
Svechnikov’s future with the Wings is uncertain. General manager Steve Yzerman extended Svechnikov for one year, $874,125 last summer. His attempt to gain a foothold this season were thwarted when he left the Jan. 5 scrimmage with an apparent injury to his right arm, costing him a week of camp at a crucial time.
Svechnikov (6-foot-3, 208 pounds) could work his way into the lineup as a grinder on the fourth line — well below the expectations the Wings had when they drafted him at 19th in 2015.
His history with the organization has been one of early promise followed by frustration. He scored 20 goals in his first season of pro hockey, in 2016-17, with the Grand Rapids Griffins, and helped them win the Calder Cup with 12 points in 19 AHL playoff games. But he struggled the following season, recording just seven goals among 23 points.
Then it got worse.
During an exhibition game in September 2018, Svechnikov blew out a knee, requiring surgery that cost him the entire 2018-19 season. He appeared in four games in October 2019 for the Wings, otherwise spending the season with the Griffins, where he had 11 goals and 14 assists in 51 games.
