Anaheim Ducks place Chase De Leo on waivers

The Anaheim Ducks have placed forward Chase De Leo on waivers on Wednesday.

De Leo was on the non-roster injured reserve with a knee injury he sustained in the preseason. He has yet to play this year after registering 23 points in 22 games with the AHL’s San Diego Gulls. It’s likely the 28-year-old will return there if he does not make the team.

De Leo last played two games in the NHL with the New Jersey Devils in 2021-22. Before that, he had a three-year stint with the Ducks organization, playing one game per season. De Leo, who was given No. 69 with the Ducks, played two games with the Winnipeg Jets during the 2015-16 season, his first season of pro hockey.

De Leo had a strong four-year run with the Portland Winterhawks, winning the WHL title in 2013. He also represented USA at the 2015 world juniors in his final year of junior. De Leo has spent most of his pro career in the AHL, putting up a solid 120 goals and 301 points in 442 games between Manitoba, Utica and San Diego.

De Leo is in the final year of a two-year contract worth $762,500 per season. He’ll be a UFA at the end of the season if the Ducks – or the team who claims him – doesn’t sign him beforehand.