Canucks waive Phillip Di Giuseppe

The Vancouver Canucks announced Saturday that left winger Phillip Di Giuseppe has been placed on waivers.

Through 20 appearances with the Canucks this season, Di Giuseppe has notched one goal and five assists for six points with four penalty minutes and a minus-two rating. The 31-year-old Toronto native has also seen four showings with the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks in which he has registered two penalty minutes and a minus-one mark.

Per PuckPedia, Di Giuseppe is in the second year of a two-year contract that carries a $775,000 annual average value and can become an unrestricted free agent in July. Di Giuseppe originally joined the Canucks in 2021, agreeing to a one-year deal in unrestricted free agency.

Originally chosen 38th overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2012 NHL Draft, Di Giuseppe has seen 302 career contests counting stops with the Hurricanes, Nashville Predators, New York Rangers, and Canucks in which he has totaled 28 goals and 53 assists for 81 points. With the Hurricanes in 2015-16, Di Giuseppe finished with a career-high 17 points counting seven goals and 10 assists coming in 41 games.

At the AHL level, Di Giuseppe has played part of 10 seasons counting 310 contests in which he has collected 79 goals and 116 assists for 195 points. With Abbotsford in 2021-22, Di Giuseppe neared point-per-game production as he posted 12 goals and 24 assists through 42 outings.

Saturday’s transaction marks the latest move by the Canucks following a pair of deals Friday that saw forward J.T. Miller shipped to the Rangers and defenseman Marcus Pettersson acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins.

On the season, the Canucks sit 23-18-10 and one point back of the Pacific Division rival Calgary Flames for the second wildcard seed in the Western Conference. The Canucks have qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs twice in the past nine seasons.