Bruins place Smith on waivers; Here’s how it impacts their salary cap originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Craig Smith’s career with the Boston Bruins could be over very soon.
The veteran forward was placed on waivers Sunday, the B’s announced. The other 31 NHL teams have until 2 p.m. ET on Monday to claim Smith or he will remain with the Bruins. Smith can also be assigned to the AHL’s Providence Bruins if he clears waivers.
What are the chances he is claimed?
Smith is a good player, but he has battled injuries and inconsistency since the beginning of last season. He has four points (one goal, three assists) in 17 games this season, while playing just 9:50 per game — the lowest average time on ice of his career by far.
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Smith is in the final year of his contract with a $3.1 million salary cap hit. Just 15 teams have $3.1 million or more in cap room, per CapFriendly, and a bunch of them are using long-term injured reserve (LTIR) to get there.
Based on all these factors, the chances he gets claimed likely are slim.
The Bruins have just $53,275 in salary cap space. They would clear $1.125 million in cap room by assigning Smith to Providence if/when he clears waivers.
The Bruins have a lot of depth up front and, given Smith’s offensive struggles, it makes sense to play other guys on the wing. A.J. Greer, Nick Foligno and Trent Frederic have all outplayed Smith in 2022-23.
