David Rittich, Alex Barre-Boulet, Bobb McMann on waivers

With the NHL season set to kick off Tuesday night, three players have kicked off the season on waivers.

According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, Los Angeles Kings goaltender David Rittich, Tampa Bay Lightning forward Alex Barre-Boulet and Toronto Maple Leafs winger Bobby McMann have been placed on waivers. All three are eligible to join their respective AHL teams if left unclaimed.

Perhaps the most interesting name is Rittich, a 31-year-old from Czechia. An NHL all-star game representative in 2020, Rittich made a name for himself in his early seasons with the Calgary Flames. But by 2020-21, he struggled more often than not and was traded to Toronto to close out the season. He went 1-1-1 in that span before signing with the Nashville Predators for 2021-22. It was another difficult season for Rittich, who had a career-worst 3.57 GAA and .886 SP in 17 games. He allowed five goals in his lone playoff game that year against Colorado, with the club electing to finish the series (that the Avalanche swept) with Connor Ingram in net. Rittich bounced back slightly with Winnipeg last year before joining the Kings as the team’s third goalie for this season. He’s on a one-year deal worth $875,000, so a team looking for an experienced veteran option could take a look.

Once seen as another potential hidden gem by the Lightning, Barre-Boulet, 26, has just nine points in 32 games over three NHL seasons. He’s been one of the best AHLers over the past five years, recording 109 goals and 283 points in 271 games – including a career-best 84 points last year. Perhaps a team looking for extra scoring depth will take a chance on ABB, like Seattle did during the 2021-22 season – only for the Bolts to bring him back via waivers. Barre-Boulet’s cap hit is $758,333, which is below the league minimum of $775,000.

McMann missed all of training camp with an injury suffered last year with the Toronto Marlies. he was a revelation in the AHL, scoring 21 goals and 29 points in 30 games. The 27-year-old also got his first taste of NHL action, recording an assist in 10 games while in a fourth-line role. He currently makes $762,500, which is also below the current league minimum.