Team president Trevor Linden knew the Canucks were taking a calculated risk on Monday, when Vancouver decided rookie Ben Hutton edged out Frankie Corrado for a job on the blueline.
Corrado, 22, would be subject to waivers after three years of service to the team. He appeared in four playoff games as a 19-year-old in 2013, now cut for a player with exactly four games of AHL experience.
"They deserve to be here," Linden said Monday of the rookies. "Everyone saw it. We had to make some tough decisions."
Now, Canucks will now watch Corrado play elsewhere, unable to sneak him through waivers.
The Maple Leafs claimed Corrado off on Tuesday. As the 27th place finisher last year, the Leafs may not have been the only team to place a claim on Corrado, as waivers use the inverse order of last season's standings at this time of year.
Corrado was one of three players claimed on Tuesday. The Canadiens also plucked forward Paul Byron from Calgary and the Islanders grabbed goaltender Jean-Francois Berube from Los Angeles.
All of the other players on waivers from Monday - including Vancouver forward Linden Vey, Flyers defenceman Andrew MacDonald, and Bruins forward Max Talbot - went unclaimed. The Flyers officially assigned MacDonald to their AHL affiliate in Allentown, Pa., where his $4.5 million salary will be more than the rest of the team's payroll combined.
Byron, 26, posted 19 points in 57 games for the Flames last season. He is filing the roster spot vacated by forward Zack Kassian, who was suspended indefinitely without pay as he entered Stage 2 of the NHL/NHLPA-joint substance abuse and behavioural health program on Monday.
Berube, 24, guided the Kings' AHL affiliate to the Calder Cup last spring. He backstopped an impressive 37-9-4 record and 2.18 goals-against average in Manchester. There have been questions about Jaroslav Halak's injury status for opening night and Berube will serve as an insurance policy.
Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock told reporters he spent time Monday watching film of Corrado and liked what he saw. It's unclear at the moment where exactly Corrado would fit in the lineup, perhaps as a seventh defenceman.
The Leafs placed forward Richard Panik on waivers on Tuesday. Minnesota did the same with Jordan Schroeder - and the Wild also assigned coveted free agent signing Mike Rielly to their AHL affiliate in Iowa.
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