The Washington Capitals have placed Dylan McIlrath on waivers this afternoon, a surprise move just ahead of tonight's game against the Minnesota Wild.
McIlrath, a 34-year-old defenseman, is a rare breed in today's NHL. He is a 6'5, 240-pound enforcer in a league that has largely moved away from the role.
He has played four games this season. He has no goals and no assists, a -2 rating and 4 penalty minutes.
The timing is what stands out. Washington is 8-4-0 and has won three straight, including a 4-3 win at Nashville on Thursday, October 29. Teams rarely tinker with a roster that is winning, which makes this move more interesting.
McIlrath's résumé is built on something other than offense. Over 109 NHL games, he has 3 goals and 6 assists for 9 points, along with 175 penalty minutes. That penalty total is the story of his career.
He was drafted 10th overall by the New York Rangers in 2010, a first-round pick who ended up carving out a very different kind of NHL career. Plenty of players picked that high are expected to drive offense. McIlrath became known for something else.
What waivers could mean for McIlrath's future
Now the clock starts. Any team can claim him, and if no one does, the Capitals will have a decision to make about where he goes next. The sheet does not say whether he would be sent to the minors, so that remains an open question.
Washington's record does not point to a team in need of a shake-up. The Capitals sit 3rd in the Metropolitan Division and own a +6 goal differential, with a 6-2-0 mark at home.
Coach Spencer Carbery and general manager Chris Patrick have not explained the decision, at least not in anything we have seen. That leaves the move open to interpretation. Is this a lineup tweak, or a sign that the club wants a different look on the blue line?
My view: a team on a three-game win streak does not usually part with a depth defenseman like this unless it has a clear plan for the roster spot. That plan should become clear soon.
Dylan McIlrath is in the final year of his deal, so his next landing spot matters even more to him. Whether another club takes a chance on a player of his type will be the next thing to watch as the waiver process plays out.
Is there still a place for a true enforcer like Dylan McIlrath in today's NHL?
Also read on Markerzone.com:
Lightning raised Kucherov's offer and it appears to have caused the breaking point in Tampa
