Canucks claim Merilainen on waivers as Tanev headlines group of 61

On September 25, the Vancouver Canucks moved to bolster their organizational depth by claiming Leevi Merilainen off waivers from the Ottawa Senators. The transaction came on a busy day for the waiver wire, with 61 players across the NHL, including Tanev and Comrie, placed on waivers as teams continued to pare down their training camp rosters. With the regular season approaching, the flurry of moves reflects the final sorting of depth charts around the league.

Merilainen claimed, previous day’s waiver class clears

By putting in a claim on Merilainen, the Canucks assume control of the player after Ottawa exposed him to waivers. Every other player who was on waivers the previous day cleared the process unclaimed, remaining with the clubs that had originally placed them on the wire. For the Senators, losing Merilainen through waivers trims one option from within their system.

For Vancouver, the claim adds another piece to manage within the organization. Under NHL rules, a team that claims a player off waivers must keep him in its structure and place him back on waivers again if it wishes to move him down later. How the Canucks decide to deploy Merilainen over the coming weeks will be part of their broader roster management puzzle as camp winds down.

Tanev, Comrie among 61 players on crowded waiver wire

Beyond the Merilainen move, the league’s waiver list swelled on September 25, with 61 players hitting the wire, including Tanev and Comrie. The activity touches a long list of organizations, among them the Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, San Jose Sharks, St. Louis Blues, Tampa Bay Lightning, Utah Mammoth, Vancouver Canucks, Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets.

Each day, the NHL releases the names of players placed on waivers and those who clear around 2 p.m. Eastern Time. The tight timeline forces clubs to make quick decisions on who remains in the battle for NHL jobs and who is destined to move down the depth chart. As rosters move closer to their opening-night configurations, the waiver wire becomes a critical tool for balancing cap considerations, depth needs and opportunity for fringe players.

Condensed camps driving rapid roster decisions

With a shortened training camp and a packed exhibition schedule, front offices have limited time to evaluate players in game situations. A large waiver class like this one helps clarify internal competition at every position. Some players may earn a fresh opportunity with a new club, as Merilainen has with the Canucks, while most will continue within the organization that exposed them, providing depth and call-up options once the regular season is underway.