WINNIPEG – The Winnipeg Jets continued to whittle down it’s roster by placing forward Eric Tangradi on waivers. The move allows any of the National Hockey League’s other 29 teams to claim him without giving up any players or draft picks as compensation. If Tangradi clears waivers the Jets would presumably send him to the American Hockey League’s St. John’s IceCaps. But Tangradi could be an attractive option to a cap strapped team as he is set to earn $700,000 this season with a cap hit of just $675,000.
“A bunch of guys were ahead of him,” said Jets Head Coach Paul Maurice at Friday’s daily media briefing. “Eric’s been good here. He came to camp in really good shape. He’s worked hard but I don’t think the role of in and out of the lineup was going to move his career along at all.”
Tangradi came to the Jets through a trade in February of 2013 when the Jets sent a seventh-round draft pick in the 2013 NHL Draft to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 25-year-old scored just three goals with three assists in 55 games last season.
“Just being here wasn’t going to make us better. It wasn’t going to make him better,” said Maurice.
The Jets roster now stands at 31 players with the team needing to get down to a 23 man roster prior to their season opener next Thursday against the Coyotes. he Jets final exhibition game is Saturday night as they host the Calgary Flames.
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