Tampa Bay Lightning Acquire Pheonix Copley
The Tampa Bay Lightning have reinforced their goaltending options by acquiring Pheonix Copley through the NHL waiver process on Thursday. This strategic move comes as the team anticipates the return of their starting goalie, Andrei Vasilevskiy, who is currently in the midst of rehabilitation from injury.
Copley’s Performance and Background
Copley, 33, will provide depth and could create competition for backup goalie Jonas Johansson. His recent tenure was spent with the Los Angeles Kings organization, where he achieved a career-best performance in the 2022-23 season, playing 37 games and finishing with a commendable 24 wins against only 6 losses, along with a goals-against average of 2.64 and a .903 save percentage.
However, Copley endured misfortune last season, seeing limited action due to an ACL injury that restricted him to just eight games in 2023-24 and kept him largely in the AHL, where he posted a record of 24-17-1 for the Ontario Reign, maintaining a GAA of 2.49 and a save percentage of .904 over 42 games.
NHL Waiver Wire Activity
In related news, the NHL waiver wire saw significant activity on Wednesday, with all players from that day clearing waivers, allowing them the opportunity to be assigned to minor league teams. Specifically, Christian Jaros cleared unconditional waivers, making way for the termination of his contract.
On the same day, a total of 22 players from eight different teams were placed on waivers, per PuckPedia’s report. Notable names include Columbus’ Daemon Hunt and Calgary’s trio of Rory Kerins, Ivan Prosvetov, and Ilya Solovyov. Edmonton saw Cam Dineen and Riley Stillman placed on the wire, while Pittsburgh included Sebastian Aho and Danton Heinen among their roster.
Player Highlights
Hunt, a promising 23-year-old defenseman, was acquired by Columbus in a deal that saw prospect David Jiricek moved to another club in November 2024. Prosvetov, who was acquired by Calgary after impressing in the KHL, has had a tougher start with the Flames, evidenced by his pre-season numbers.
Heinen, with 241 career points across 566 games in the NHL, and Kravtsov, returning to the Canucks after a successful spell in the KHL, are two other players experiencing varying levels of pre-season success yet to make a notable impact.
Upcoming Waiver Claims
Clubs across the NHL have until 2 p.m. ET on Friday to submit claims for any players on the waiver list. For more up-to-date hockey news and in-depth coverage, consider subscribing to The Hockey News or accessing their digital archives.
