What Are Waivers in the NHL? Rules, Claims and Clearances

NHL waivers are a league process that gives every team an opportunity to claim certain players before another club sends them from its NHL roster to the minor leagues. The system is designed to prevent teams from freely moving experienced players out of the NHL and hiding them in the AHL.

For fans, the central question is usually simple: if a team places a player on waivers, can another team take him? The answer depends on the player’s waiver-exemption status, the claim period, the waiver order and the contract rules that apply after a claim.

How NHL waivers work

When a team wants to assign a waiver-required player to the AHL, it places him on waivers. Other NHL clubs then have a limited window, normally 24 hours, to submit a claim. During that period, the player remains tied to his original club unless another team claims him.

If more than one team submits a claim, the player goes to the club with the highest priority under the league’s waiver order. That order is generally based on the reverse of the previous season’s standings early in the season and the current-season standings later in the year. It is separate from the NHL draft lottery.

• Claimed: The claiming team usually takes over the player’s existing contract and must follow the roster rules attached to the claim.
• Unclaimed: The original team may assign the player to its AHL affiliate, subject to the collective bargaining agreement and other roster rules.
• Multiple claims: Only the highest-priority claiming team receives the player.

A player who clears waivers is not permanently exempt. If he returns to the NHL roster and later reaches the applicable games-played or roster-time thresholds, the club may need to place him on waivers again before another minor-league assignment.

Which NHL players must clear waivers?

Waiver eligibility is based mainly on a player’s age when he signed his first NHL contract, his professional experience and the number of NHL games he has played. Younger prospects often have a waiver-exempt period, which allows their team to move them between the NHL and AHL without exposing them to other clubs.

The exact exemption limits vary by age and player category. They are not determined by a single rule such as “all rookies are exempt.” A prospect can lose waiver exemption after reaching the relevant number of professional seasons or NHL games, even if he still has a rookie designation.

That is why a highly drafted prospect may move freely between the NHL and AHL while an older depth player must be placed on waivers. Teams check the player’s individual waiver status before making a roster move.

Why teams place players on waivers

The most common reason for placing a player on waivers is to assign him to the AHL. A team may want to create salary-cap room, open a roster spot, make room for a returning injured player or give an underperforming player more playing time in the minors.

Waivers can also be used when a player is removed from the NHL roster for a transaction covered by league rules. The move does not necessarily mean the organization wants to release him. It may simply reflect the fact that the player is no longer waiver-exempt.

Players on long-term injured reserve, players receiving certain conditioning assignments and emergency roster situations can be subject to different procedures. Those exceptions are fact-specific, so a team cannot assume that an injury or temporary assignment automatically avoids waivers.

What happens if a player is claimed?

If another club claims the player, the claiming team normally assumes his existing contract and adds him under the applicable NHL roster rules. The original team loses control of the player unless a special waiver arrangement applies.

A claimed player generally cannot be sent straight to the AHL by the new team without being exposed to waivers again. This prevents clubs from claiming a player only to immediately bury him in the minor leagues.

There are limited situations in which a player can return to his original team after a claim, such as when the claiming club and original club agree to a return before the relevant deadline. The precise result depends on the circumstances and the NHL’s collective bargaining rules.

How waivers differ from a trade or contract termination

Waivers are not the same as a trade. A trade is negotiated between teams, while a waiver claim allows an eligible club to acquire the player by submitting a claim during the window. The original team does not choose which club wins when multiple teams claim the player.

Waivers are also different from unconditional waivers. Regular waivers are mainly associated with assigning a player to the minors. Unconditional waivers are generally used when a contract is being terminated, bought out or otherwise handled under a different transaction process.

Common NHL waiver questions

Can any NHL player be placed on waivers?

A team can place a player on waivers, but not every player is required to clear them before an AHL assignment. Waiver-exempt prospects can usually be moved without exposure until they reach the applicable experience limits.

How long is an NHL waiver period?

The standard claim period is normally 24 hours. Timing can vary around special league scheduling rules, so official transaction details control in unusual cases.

Can a team choose the club that claims its player?

No. If several teams submit claims, the waiver priority order determines which club receives the player. The original team cannot select its preferred claimant.

Does clearing waivers mean a player is released?

No. Clearing waivers means no other team claimed the player during the window. His original team keeps his contract and can usually assign him to its AHL affiliate.

Why do fans track a player’s waiver status?

Waiver status can affect a team’s roster decisions, trade value and willingness to call up a player. A club may keep an experienced player in the NHL rather than risk losing him for nothing, while a waiver-exempt prospect can be moved more easily.