Sharks Claim Forward Off Waivers

The San Jose Sharks have claimed Ryan Dzingel off waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Leafs just acquired Dzingel as a part of the Ilya Lyubushkin/Nick Ritchie deal. However, due to their lack of cap space, they were forced to place Dzingel on waivers. When it was first announced that this occurred, it seemed very likely that the 29-year-old would be claimed. Now, San Jose is the team to jump on the opportunity. 

In 26 games this season with Arizona, Dzingel had four goals, three assists, and a minus-3 rating. Overall, it's been a bit of a down year for him offensively, but he has shown in the past that he can be a very solid scoring threat. He recorded 29 points in 64 games with the Carolina Hurricanes during the 2019-20 season. He also had a 56-point campaign in 78 games between the Ottawa Senators and Columbus Blue Jackets the year before. Perhaps the change of scenery could help him produce more again. 

This is a nice low-risk move for the Sharks. They currently have a 22-22-5 record and are trying to make ground in the Wild Card race. Adding another forward in Dzingel could help with that. Yet, if they are unable to, he also could become a rental candidate for them. Thus, they could land assets for a player they acquired for free. Either way, it's a win-win. 

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