Several NHL teams placed players on waivers on Thursday, one day before the league's trade deadline. The New Jersey Devils waived three forwards, while the St. Louis Blues moved to potentially terminate Mathieu Joseph's contract. This activity signals roster adjustments as teams prepare for the playoffs.
The New Jersey Devils, Vegas Golden Knights, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Philadelphia Flyers combined to place seven players on NHL waivers on Thursday, March 5, 2026, ahead of Friday's 3 p.m. ET trade deadline.
The Devils waived right winger Maxim Tsyplakov, left winger Evgenii Dadonov, and center Luke Glendening. Tsyplakov, a 27-year-old acquired from the New York Islanders on January 27 in exchange for Ondrej Palat, a 2026 third-round draft pick, and a 2027 sixth-round pick, has recorded no points in his time with New Jersey, averaging 8:26 of ice time. Overall this season, he has one goal and one assist in 36 games, with one year remaining on his $2.25-million cap hit contract. Last season with the Islanders, Tsyplakov posted 10 goals and 35 points in 77 games, his first NHL campaign after playing in the KHL.
Dadonov, 36, has zero points in 17 games for the Devils, averaging 11:06 of ice time, and has dealt with injuries and healthy scratches. He signed a one-year, $1-million contract with $2.25 million in performance bonuses last summer, earning $250,000 for reaching 10 games. In 2024-25, he had 20 goals and 40 points in 80 games with the Dallas Stars.
Glendening, also 36, has four assists in 52 games and has been a healthy scratch for the last six contests. On a one-year, $775,000 deal after two seasons with Tampa Bay, he is a defensive center with a 55.6% career faceoff win percentage.
If they clear waivers, the trio could be assigned to the AHL's Utica Comets.
The Vegas Golden Knights waived right winger Alexander Holtz, 24, who has nine points in 28 games, and left winger Cole Reinhardt, 26, with seven points in 44 games. Tampa Bay placed center Curtis Douglas, a 25-year-old 6-foot-9 player, on waivers; he has two assists and 92 penalty minutes in 29 games. Philadelphia's Garrett Wilson, 34, a left winger signing an NHL contract, was also waived; he last played in the NHL during 2018-19 and has 16 points in 51 AHL games this season.
Separately, the St. Louis Blues placed right winger Mathieu Joseph, 29, on unconditional waivers. Joseph, who cleared waivers last week and was assigned to the AHL's Springfield Thunderbirds, has two goals and nine assists in 39 NHL games this season. If he clears after 24 hours, the Blues can terminate his contract, making him an unrestricted free agent. Should Joseph sign an NHL contract before the deadline, he would be eligible for playoffs with that team.
