Justin Barron and Rémi Poirier claimed as Canadiens lead busy NHL waiver day

NHL clubs continued trimming rosters and juggling cap space Sunday, as the league moves toward Monday’s 5 p.m. ET deadline for teams to be cap-compliant. The latest round of moves saw 71 players placed on waivers and two notable waiver claims from Saturday’s slate become official.

On the blue line, the St. Louis Blues added depth by claiming defenceman Justin Barron after his stint with the Nashville Predators. The 24-year-old appeared in 52 games for Nashville in 2025-26, registering two assists and finishing with a minus-1 rating, and will now look to carve out a role in St. Louis’s defensive rotation.

In goal, the New Jersey Devils turned to the waiver wire to bolster their crease, claiming Rémi Poirier from the Dallas Stars. Also 24, Poirier has yet to make his NHL debut but is coming off a heavy workload with the AHL’s Texas Stars, where he posted a 2.61 goals-against average and .912 save percentage over 52 games last season.

Canadiens place nine players on waivers

The Montreal Canadiens were the most active team on Sunday, sending nine players to waivers as they continue to pare down to a 23-man roster. The moves are part of the club’s broader effort to sort out who will start the season in Montreal and who will head to the farm team, all while staying within the salary cap.

League-wide, some of the most recognizable names to be placed on waivers were goaltenders Laurent Brossoit, David Rittich and Nikita Tolopilo. Their appearance on the wire underlines how many veterans and fringe roster players are being squeezed by internal competition and tight cap situations around the NHL.

Teams race to finalize cap-compliant rosters

The wave of 71 players hitting waivers emphasizes how crucial the final days of training camp are for general managers. Clubs are trying to preserve depth by sneaking players through waivers while also ensuring they comply with the salary cap by Monday’s deadline.

For Barron and Poirier, being claimed offers a fresh opportunity with organizations that have chosen to invest in them. For the many others placed on waivers, the next 24 hours will be pivotal: they could land with a new team, be reassigned to the AHL, or prompt their current organization to reconsider its plans if there is little interest across the league.