Top five NHL waiver claims of 2024-25 so far

Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Almost every time a player gets thrown on waivers, there’s always at least a handful of fanbases wondering if they should throw a waiver pick on them.

Most of the time, we’re talking about replacement-level players who can help in small batches, but that’s about it. But then you’ll get a guy like Gustav Forsling, who went from a depth piece on the Chicago Blackhawks to a key reason why the Florida Panthers won the Stanley Cup in 2024.

Still, when you make a waiver claim, you’re looking to at least get some positive value. A total of 22 waiver claims have occurred this year, with Kaapo Kahkonen (now in Colorado), James Reimer (Buffalo), Jiri Patera (Vancouver), and Dakota Mermis (Toronto) all getting claimed twice. Raphael Lavoie, meanwhile, started the season on Edmonton’s roster before going to Vegas on Oct. 7, back to Edmonton on Oct. 9 and back to Vegas on Oct. 11. The 24-year-old forward has played one NHL game this season.

So, how about the guys who were claimed this year but have had an actual positive impact? Let’s take a look:

James Reimer, G (Buffalo Sabres)

Previous team: Anaheim Ducks

Reimer originally signed with Buffalo over the offseason as goaltending insurance but was placed on waivers after Devon Levi secured the backup job. The Ducks claimed him as insurance of their own, but he lost both his starts while Lukas Dostal stole the show. The Ducks placed him on waivers in mid-November, and Buffalo snagged him back up, giving him the backup role to Ukka-Pekka Luukkonen.

Reimer has struggled for wins, but he hasn’t played that poorly. His 1.18 goals saved above expected at 5-on-5 since his arrival in Buffalo is 29th in the NHL and ahead of some notable NHL starters, too. On a non-playoff team, Reimer has given the Sabres a chance to win on multiple occasions, which is all you can really ask for from your backup.

Dante Fabbro, D (Columbus Blue Jackets)

Previous team: Nashville Predators

Fabbro has arguably been the biggest pickup of the season so far. Once a top prospect with the Predators, Fabbro has put up 12 points in 34 games with CBJ after going scoreless in Nashville through six outings. The former Boston University captain is also averaging a career-high 21:51 a night, which is a massive step up from his 13:06 in Nashville.

Fabbro definitely needed a change of scenery to unlock his real potential. He’s a puck-moving defenseman with solid mobility, and he’s good in his own zone, too. It’s easy to perform alongside Zach Werenski, but the pair has truly looked good together.

Zach Aston-Reese, LW (Columbus Blue Jackets)

Previous team: Vegas Golden Knights

Aston-Reese never ended up dressing in a regular season game with Vegas, but he’s a full-time NHLer for the first time since his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2022-23. He’s on pace for 20 points this season, which would be the highest output of his NHL career (previously 15 with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2020-21). It’s not too shabby for a 30-year-old making league minimum after spending all but three games in the American League last year.

ZAR, as he’s better known, is playing 13:28 – a fair bit above his 12:60 career average. While offense might not be his forte like he was in college, Aston-Reese is a solid defensive forward who battles hard to win pucks and will bring the effort at both ends of the ice. He’s a decent straight-line skater, too.

Kasperi Kapanen, RW (Edmonton Oilers)

Previous team: St. Louis Blues

Kapanen has played all over the Oilers’ lineup – including alongside Connor McDavid. He’ll never be the 44-point guy he was once with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but he offers decent scoring depth in a fourth-line role, where he primarily plays. The 28-year-old has sat at times, but he has looked better than when he struggled on St. Louis’ bottom line earlier in the year.

For a bottom-six player, Kapanen gets the job done. He brings energy and physicality and can kill penalties. With a cap hit of $1 million, Kapanen brings decent value and experience to a team that aims to become more difficult to play against. Given he’s averaging just 11:52 a game – well below his career average of 14:27 – it’s impressive that he’s still looking to post around 20 points this season.

Arthur Kaliyev, RW (New York Rangers)

Previous team: Los Angeles Kings

Kaliyev was once viewed as an elite junior hockey player – someone capable of scoring 40-plus goals and 100 points. Unfortunately, his play never seemed to translate to the NHL, and after struggling to establish himself as a full-timer in Los Angeles, he was put on waivers and claimed by the Rangers – a team that needed some extra scoring oomph deeper down in the lineup.

He started off slow, going scoreless in his first three outings as he looked to get back up to speed in his first NHL action of the season. He scored in his fourth game and then had a nice two-game stretch last week to help him get up to three points in 10 games. The members are underwhelming, for sure. But he has helped give the Rangers a nice boost on the third line alongside Filip Chytil and Chris Kreider. They’ve been difficult to play against at 5-on-5. Kaliyev is still a work in progress, but you can still see his powerful shot at least a few times a game.

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