Defenseman Jacob Moverare is being returned to AHL Ontario. What this means — and doesn’t mean — has several tentacles.
For starters, it keeps Moverare’s ‘waiver exempt’ status in check. The 25-year-old blueliner was sent down on NHL Trade Deadline Day and immediately recalled a few hours later (for reasons explained here). Since then, he’s played eight games for the Kings. As a reminder, after clearing waivers, a player can only suit up for a maximum of 10 games and/or be on the NHL roster for 30 days before needing to go through waivers again. Thus, today’s move pauses that clock.
Additionally, it’s also worth noting that the Kings don’t plan on calling any other players up at this time. This is interesting because once Carl Grundstrom returns (something that is at least a few more days away, as we’re told he won’t be back in time for the Calgary game on Saturday), the Kings will not have enough cap space to call-up a player from Ontario using a ‘regular’ recall, it will have to be an emergency recall — and that’s much trickier. Thus, the window for a normal recall was between now and when Grundstrom returns. So, Brandt Clarke or Akil Thomas could have been recalled to the NHL and played against the Flames.
For easy math, think of it this way… prior to sending Moverare down, the Kings only had about $200k in cap space. Moving Moverare to the AHL pushes their available cap space up to about $975k, enough to recall Clarke or Thomas (not Sammy Fagemo, as he’s currently out injured). This cap space won’t be there once Grundstrom eventually returns, that space won’t be there. They’ll be back to where they were at the beginning of the season — 13 forwards, six defensemen, two goalies, and pretty much tight up against the cap.
What today’s roster move also means is the Kings are now at the bare minimum of 12 forwards and six defensemen. So… Arthur Kaliyev will play again in Calgary. Coming off a game where he scored on Thursday, that’s good timing for the 22-year-old forward. He could certainly use some positive news, as this season hasn’t gone the way he planned.
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