10/13: Both players have cleared waivers as expected, per Sportsnets’ Elliotte Friedman.
4:40pm: Louis Jean of TVA Sports tweets that Streit is unlikely to report to the farm should he clear waivers, noting that the veteran will likely ask for his release so he can play for Switzerland during the Olympics. Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer echoes that sentiment (via Twitter), adding that Streit could ultimately choose to retire.
11:05am: The Montreal Canadiens, so far unable to find a trading partner, have placed Mark Streit on waivers today according to Chris Johnston of Sportsnet. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the team would try to assign him to the minors. Instead, it would help find a potential trade partner or rid them of the contract entirely should someone claim him.
Streit signed with the Canadiens just this summer, coming back to the place he started his career in 2005. While he was expected to help a defense corps that was lacking much puck-moving ability, young Victor Mete has taken that role and run with it. While it’s not certain that Mete will stay with the Canadiens for the whole season, Streit is clearly the odd man out in the defense shuffle. With David Schlemko set to return from injury, the team has to rid themselves of at least one defender.
It could be Mete, Brandon Davidson or Joe Morrow, but it seems ever more likely that Streit will be jettisoned in some fashion. Whether he would be willing to go to the AHL is unclear, as he’s now 39-years old. The Canadiens will be on the hook for his entire cap hit regardless, since he signed it after the age of 35.
Johnston also tells us that Marek Hrivik of Calgary will join Streit on waivers, before he ever plays a game for the team. Hrivik was signed this summer to a two-way deal, but was injured in training camp. He started the year on season-opening injured reserve, but it was likely always the plan to put him on waivers and send him to Stockton once he got healthy. Hrivik played 16 games for the New York Rangers last year, but is just a depth option for the Flames.
This pretty much ensures Mete stays through 9 games and likely beyond too.
For NYR, I’d rather get Hrivek back and waive Carey or Cracknell
Probably would be claiming Hrivik and waiving Carey