As NHL teams trim their rosters before the regular season, The Athletic’s Corey Pronman and Harman Dayal will provide analysis of the top players placed on waivers. Once a player is waived, the rest of the league has 24 hours to put in a claim for him. If a player goes unclaimed, they can be assigned by their team to the minor leagues.

Saturday, Oct. 4Ryan Graves, LHD, Pittsburgh Penguins

It was only a few years ago that Graves was a highly regarded second-pair defenseman. The 6-foot-5 defensive defender was a completely serviceable partner for Cale Makar in 2019-20 in Colorado. He was traded to New Jersey ahead of the Seattle expansion draft because the Avs feared losing him for nothing, and again had top-four success there. Graves played with Dougie Hamilton and Damon Severson in his first year, and then drove solid results as John Marino’s full-time partner in 2022-23. With that track record in mind, the Penguins inked him to a six-year, $27 million contract. That deal has been a disaster since Day 1. Graves was a liability in Pittsburgh’s top four, and his play didn’t really improve even as he was moved to a third-pair role last season, where he only averaged 14:59 per game.

There’s almost no chance that a team will pick Graves up because he still has four years left at a bloated $4.5 million AAV. However, if he were on a more reasonable contract, I’m sure a team would have loved to see if Graves could bounce back as a quality No. 4/5 defenseman with a change of scenery. — Dayal

Zack MacEwen, RW, New Jersey Devils

MacEwen is a heavy, physical 6-foot-4 winger who won’t hesitate to stand up for his teammates and drop the gloves (even though he isn’t the most skilled fighter). The 29-year-old winger is a heart-and-soul, likable character, and while he isn’t very skilled, he can hold his own in a fourth-line role, as evidenced by his 237 career NHL games. He’d be worth considering for a team that’s looking for more toughness on its fourth line.— Dayal

Vladislav Kolyachonok, LHD, Dallas Stars

Acquired from Pittsburgh in the Matt Dumba cap dump trade, Kolyachonok has a lot of fascinating tools that could make him a credible depth defenseman. He has a lanky 6-2 frame, is a mobile skater, has decent puck skills and plays a hard, competitive game. Kolyachonok has room to improve his decision-making to round out his defensive game, though he drove decent underlying numbers in sheltered minutes last year. — Dayal

Other players on waivers: Cameron Hughes (Stars), Tobias Björnfot (Panthers), Brandon Bussi (Panthers), Thomas Bordeleau (Devils), Angus Crookshank (Devils), Brian Halonen (Devils), Colton White (Devils), Dennis Gilbert (Flyers), Alexander Alexeyev (Penguins), Rafael Harvey-Pinard (Penguins), Boko Imama (Penguins), Samuel Poulin (Penguins), Colin White (Sharks), Cameron Hebig (Mammoth)

Friday, Oct. 3

Update: All players cleared waivers.

Victor Soderstrom, RHD, Boston Bruins

Soderstrom, like Vitali Kravtsov yesterday, ends up on waivers following a second try at playing in North America. He’s a skilled puck-mover, but he’s also undersized without a clear special trait in his skating or dynamic enough offense to have a clear NHL role. It’ll be curious if someone takes yet another try with him. — Pronman

Georgii Merkulov, C, Boston Bruins

Merkulov has been a highly effective AHL forward for the last few years in Boston’s system. He has excellent skill and offensive sense and works hard enough. His skating for his size isn’t anything special, though, which has led to him being a bubble forward who’s only played a handful of NHL games. — Pronman

David Kämpf, C, Toronto Maple Leafs

Kämpf is a bottom-six defensive specialist center with over 500 games of NHL experience. The 30-year-old is very sound defensively, an experienced penalty killer and above-average in the faceoff dot. He was even an effective low-end third-line center at times under former Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe, but his play has regressed since then, and he’s never really seemed to mesh with Craig Berube. Kämpf is a black hole offensively, and he carries a slightly overpriced $2.4 million cap hit for two more years, so we’ll see if those are strong enough reasons for a team to avoid claiming a player that would otherwise be a solid, veteran 4C on a lot of teams. — Dayal

Other players on waivers: Patrick Brown (Bruins), Michael Callahan (Bruins), Riley Tufte (Bruins), Givani Smith (Hurricanes), Brandon Halverson (Lightning), William Villeneuve (Maple Leafs), Matt Villalta (Mammoth), Nils Åman (Canucks), Sheldon Rempal (Capitals)

Thursday, Oct. 2

Update: Daemon Hunt was claimed by the Minnesota Wild, Ilya Solovyov was claimed by the Colorado Avalanche and Cole Schwindt was claimed by the Florida Panthers. All other players cleared waivers.

Danton Heinen, LW, Pittsburgh Penguins

Heinen is a responsible, plug-and-play bottom-six winger with some defensive value and secondary scoring potential. The 30-year-old left winger has twice produced in the 17-18 goal range over the last four seasons. He’s averaged 35 points per 82 games over his eight-year NHL career.

Last year, Heinen couldn’t quite find his finishing touch, and was dealt from Vancouver to Pittsburgh as a cap dump. There’s zero doubt that Heinen is an NHL-caliber player — he’s played 566 career games and hasn’t spent time in the AHL since the 2017-18 season — but his $2.25 million cap hit could deter teams from claiming him. It also doesn’t help that he has zero physicality or aggression to his game despite being 6-foot-2, which teams often don’t like stylistically in their bottom six.

Heinen would have been a no-brainer claim for some team if he were making around league minimum, but making nearly triple that amount now, we’ll see if a team makes a claim. — Dayal

Vitali Kravtsov, LW, Vancouver Canucks

A top-10 pick in 2018, Kravtsov is attempting an NHL comeback after finishing sixth in KHL scoring last season. The Canucks have a glut of depth forwards, and Kravtsov ended up on the outside looking in on a roster spot.

Kravtsov has intriguing size and skill, though he lacks a standout offensive trait. His straight-line speed appears to be quicker than it was during his last NHL stint, though his edge work in tight areas is still a work in progress. There could be a learning curve for him defensively, too. Kravtsov could appeal to a team with less depth that wants to gamble on his tools, pedigree and last year’s KHL breakout. — Dayal

Rory Kerins, C, Calgary Flames

Kerins, a sixth-round pick from 2020, exploded for 33 goals and 61 points in 63 games as a 22-year-old in the AHL last season. He has a long track record of impressive production, dating back to his junior days when he piled up 118 points in 67 games during his draft-plus-two season in the OHL. Kerins even chipped in with four points in five NHL games during a midseason recall in January. He followed it up with a solid, productive start to this preseason, but it didn’t land him a roster spot because the Flames are crowded with depth forwards, and his undersized 5-foot-11 frame may not be ideal for a bottom-of-the-lineup role.

Young centers with scoring upside aren’t easy to come by, so Kerins could be worth a claim for a team that needs extra help down the middle. — Dayal

Other players on waivers: Daemon Hunt (Blue Jackets), Ivan Prosvetov (Flames), Ilya Solovyov (Flames), Cam Dineen (Oilers), Riley Stillman (Oilers), Sebastian Aho (Penguins), Philip Kemp (Penguins), Joona Koppanen (Penguins), Filip Larsson (Penguins), Valtteri Puustinen (Penguins), Ben Meyers (Kraken), Mitchell Stephens (Kraken), Ben McCartney (Mammoth), Scott Perunovich (Mammoth), Dylan Coghlan (Golden Knights), Tanner Laczynski (Golden Knights), Raphael Lavoie (Golden Knights), Jaycob Megna (Golden Knights), Cole Schwindt (Golden Knights)

Wednesday, Oct. 1

Update: Pheonix Copley was claimed by the Tampa Bay Lightning. All other players cleared waivers.

Jakob Pelletier, LW, Tampa Bay Lightning

Pelletier, a Flames first-round pick in 2019, seemed destined to one day become a top-six NHLer when he dominated the AHL with 62 points in 66 games as a 20-year-old in his first pro season. It’s pretty uncommon, after all, for a 20-year-old to produce at an elite level right out of the gate.

However, Pelletier’s development has plateaued since then. He’s bounced back and forth between being a top AHL scorer and a fringe NHLer over the last few seasons.

Pelletier’s undersized 5-foot-9 frame and average foot speed are the biggest knocks on his game, though his two-way intelligence, work rate and playmaking are all NHL-caliber traits. The 24-year-old left winger scored a respectable 19 points in 49 games, a 31-point pace, split between the Flames and Flyers last year (he was dealt to Philadelphia as part of the Morgan Frost/Joel Farabee trade). Pelletier may ultimately top out as a tweener because of his physical disadvantages, but it may be worth taking a flier on him since he’s still young enough and has intriguing enough hockey sense and skill to perhaps put it all together. — Dayal

Other players on waivers: Billy Sweezey (Bruins), Wyatt Aamodt (Avalanche), Danil Gushchin (Avalanche), Sheldon Dries (Red Wings), William Lagesson (Red Wings), John Leonard (Red Wings), Ian Mitchell (Red Wings), Dominik Shine (Red Wings), Austin Watson (Red Wings), Mackenzie Entwistle (Panthers), Nolan Foote (Panthers), Wilmer Skoog (Panthers), Samuel Bolduc (Kings), Logan Brown (Kings), Martin Chromiak (Kings), Pheonix Copley (Kings), Glenn Gawdin (Kings), Cole Guttman (Kings), Joe Hicketts (Kings), Andre Lee (Kings), Akil Thomas (Kings), Taylor Ward (Kings), Andreas Englund (Predators), Casey Fitzgerald (Rangers), Lane Pederson (Flyers), Patrick Giles (Sharks), Nicholas Abruzzese (Lightning), Boris Katchouk (Lightning), Jaxson Stauber (Mammoth), Louie Belpedio (Capitals), Graeme Clarke (Capitals), Henrik Rybinski (Capitals), Bogdan Trineyev (Capitals), Jaret Anderson-Dolan (Jets), Kale Clague (Jets), Samuel Fagemo (Jets)

Tuesday, Sept. 30

Update: Tyson Jost was claimed by the Nashville Predators. All other players cleared waivers.

Tyson Jost, C, Carolina Hurricanes

Jost is a versatile, hardworking, defense-first fourth-liner. He’s reliable in his own end, can kill penalties and is capable of playing both wing and center. The 27-year-old already has 495 games of NHL experience under his belt. Jost is weak in the faceoff dot, though, and is quite limited offensively. — Dayal

Other players on waivers: Gavin Bayreuther (Hurricanes), Noel Gunler (Hurricanes), Josiah Slavin (Hurricanes), Ryan Suzuki (Hurricanes), Clark Bishop (Flames), Dryden Hunt (Flames), Yan Kuznetsov (Flames), Sam Morton (Flames), Matt Tomkins (Oilers), Matthew Highmore (Islanders), Marcus Hogberg (Islanders), Brendan Brisson (Rangers), Connor Mackey (Rangers), Anthony Richard (Flyers), Shane Bowers (Sharks), Jimmy Huntington (Sharks), Samuel Laberge (Sharks), Oskar Olausson (Sharks), Jakub Skarek (Sharks), Tyrel Bauer (Jets), Isaak Phillips (Jets)

Monday, Sept. 29

Update: All players cleared waivers.

Nicolas Aubé-Kubel, RW, Minnesota Wild

Aubé-Kubel is a serviceable fourth-line winger. The 29-year-old is a pesky forechecker, has a strong underlying defensive profile and has accumulated over 300 NHL games across six different organizations. Aubé-Kubel is limited offensively, but he’s a reliable, experienced depth forward. — Dayal

Helge Grans, RHD, Philadelphia Flyers

Grans was the 35th pick in the 2020 draft, and while he got a few games last season with the Flyers, he’s struggled to become a regular in the league. He’s a tall right-shot defenseman who can make an OK first pass and has a good point shot. His below-average skating, though, combined with a lack of hardness, leaves him without a clear NHL role and led to some struggles this fall at Flyers camp. Someone may take yet another gamble on him, though, due to his tools. — Pronman

Other players on waivers: Skyler Brind’Amour (Hurricanes), Ronan Seeley (Hurricanes), Ben Gleason (Wild), Ben Jones (Wild), Matt Kiersted (Wild), Kevin Gravel (Predators), Jake Lucchini (Predators), Matt Murray (Predators), Navrin Mutter (Predators), Jordan Oesterle (Predators), Anton Blidh (Rangers), Justin Dowling (Rangers), Trey Fix-Wolansky (Rangers), Derrick Pouliot (Rangers), Joe LaBate (Canucks), MacKenzie MacEachern (Canucks), Jiri Patera (Canucks), Jimmy Schuldt (Canucks), Phillip Di Giuseppe (Jets), Mason Shaw (Jets)

Sunday, Sept. 28

Update: All players cleared waivers.

Mikael Pyyhtiä, LW, Columbus Blue Jackets

Pyyhtiä played 47 NHL games last season and could be an intriguing pickup for a team seeking bottom-six depth. He’s not the most dynamic forward and has average size, but he’s a good skater who works hard at both ends and has some skill. — Pronman

Zac Jones, LHD, Buffalo Sabres

Jones is an intriguing 24-year-old left-shot defenseman with over 100 career NHL games under his belt. He’s a very smooth skater, a slick puck mover, and though he hasn’t established himself as a difference-maker, he’s at least proven capable of holding his own in sheltered third-pair minutes.

Jones’ 5-foot-11 frame could be a non-starter in the eyes of many teams who prefer depth defenders with size and penalty-killing acumen. However, he could be a fit for a team that wants more mobility further down the lineup.

Jones spent most of his career to this point with the Rangers, and given how poorly they’ve developed young players, he could have modest upside with a fresh start elsewhere. It also isn’t a knock on Jones that he couldn’t crack the Sabres’ roster because they’re stacked with Rasmus Dahlin, Bowen Byram, Owen Power and Mattias Samuelsson as left-shot defensemen. — Dayal

Other players on waivers: Jan Mysak (Ducks), Jake Leschyshyn (Sabres), Hudson Fasching (Blue Jackets), Brendan Gaunce (Blue Jackets), Dominic Toninato (Blackhawks), Ronnie Attard (Avalanche), Kyle Capobianco (Stars), Kole Lind (Stars), Antonio Stranges (Stars), Alex Belzile (Canadiens), Nathan Clurman (Canadiens), Lucas Condotta (Canadiens), Marc Del Gaizo (Canadiens), Sean Farrell (Canadiens), Ryan Schmelzer (Devils), Matt Luff (Blues), Corey Schueneman (Blues), Ryan Fanti (Lightning), Simon Lundmark (Lightning), Scott Sabourin (Lightning), Steven Santini (Lightning)

Saturday, Sept. 27

Update: All players cleared waivers.

Jérémie Poirier, LHD, Calgary Flames

Poirier has been a highly productive AHL defenseman and is coming off a 42-point season. He has the mobility and skill of an NHL player. His defensive play has always been a significant issue, and that’s continued to be the case. Still, we could see him claimed if a team is craving a power-play quarterback type just to see how it would go in the NHL, as he’s yet to play a game in the league. — Pronman

Other players on waivers: Jack Rathbone (Sabres), Dysin Mayo (Blue Jackets), Hunter McKown (Blue Jackets), Zachary Sawchenko (Blue Jackets), Owen Sillinger (Blue Jackets), Alex Barré-Boulet (Avalanche), Tye Felhaber (Avalanche), Jason Polin (Avalanche), TJ Tynan (Avalanche), Josh Brown (Oilers), James Hamblin (Oilers), Roby Jarventie (Oilers), Adam Beckman (Islanders), Nikita Alexandrov (Blues), Hugh McGing (Blues), Travis Boyd (Maple Leafs), Bo Groulx (Maple Leafs), Vinni Lettieri (Maple Leafs), Lukas Cormier (Golden Knights)

Friday, Sept. 26

Update: All players cleared waivers.

Ivan Fedotov, G, Columbus Blue Jackets

Columbus recently acquired Fedotov from the Flyers for a late-round draft pick. Fedotov has struggled mightily in the NHL after a great KHL career. He’s a massive goaltender, but his quickness has been an issue at the NHL level. He could be a serviceable depth option in net for a team, but even that’s not a guarantee. — Pronman

Other players on waivers: Liam Foudy (Islanders), Julien Gauthier (Islanders), Cole McWard (Islanders), Gavin Mitchell (Islanders), Kevin Connauton (Mammoth), Calle Rosen (Capitals), Spencer Smallman (Capitals)

(Photo of Ryan Graves: Charles LeClaire / Imagn Images)