Kabanov, 22, was drafted in the third round (65th overall) in the 2010 NHL Draft. Kabanov played 25 games between the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL) and Stockton Thunder (ECHL). The Russian forward never lived up to the expectations he set with a 55 point season in 50 games in his final year in the QMJHL.
The injuries on the blueline to Dennis Seidenberg and Adam McQuaid had the Bruins rather thin on the back-end, the claim of Potter provides a little extra blueline depth. Potter is 6-foot-3, 206 lbs. and plays a big physical game in his own end, but can also provide offence from time-to-time.
Conacher along with a fourth-round pick was sent to the Senators for Ben Bishop last season. Bishop has been amazing this season, while Conacher has struggled severely and now finds himself in Buffalo. The 24-year-old spent four years at nearby Canisius College, so this is a bit of a homecoming for Conacher. He recorded four goals and 16 assists (20 points) in 60 games with Ottawa this season.
It is a bit surprising that a couple of teams in need of goaltending depth did not claim Dubnyk. He will likely go to Milwaukee with Pekka Rinne and Carter Hutton as the Preds' goaltending tandem.
WIth Pekka Rinne back with the Preds and the emergence of Carter Hutton, Dubnyk has been placed on waivers in an attempt to send him to Milwaukee (AHL). However, with he could be claimed by the Oilers and return as their backup as they try to trade Ilya Bryzgalov before the deadline. He could also be claimed by the Sabres so that they don't need to acquire a backup as they try to trade Jaroslav Halak.
Kostka will join the team this week. The 28-year-old has appeared in 44 career NHL games between Toronto and Chicago, scoring two goals and 11 points. He made his NHL debut last season with the Maple Leafs after spending his first four seasons in the AHL. Kostka will be reunited with coach Jon Cooper, who coached Kostka in Norfolk in 2011-12, when the Admirals captured the Calder Cup championship.
Klesla cleared waivers the first time and will likely clear again and be sent to the AHL. He has just four points (1G / 3A) in 25 games with the Coyotes.
Urbom, a Devils draft pick, started the year with New Jersey before Washington claimed him off waivers. Things have come full-circle and Urbom is back with New Jersey after dressing in 20 games with the Caps (recorded 1G / 1A). In 14 career games with the Devils he has two goals.
Konopka, 33, is a rare mix of grit and skill, fighting regularly and annually ranking among the NHL’s faceoff leaders. Konopka is 6-feet and 213 pounds, he has 12 goals, 29 points, 1,049 penalty minutes and a minus-45 rating in 323 NHL games. He has one goal, two points and 55 penalty minutes in 36 games this season.
Pyatt, 32, has played the past two seasons with the New York Rangers, collecting 12 points (6G / 6A) in 70 regular-season games. He had four points (2G / 2A) in 12 playoff games with the Rangers last spring. He has appeared in 825 career NHL games with the New York Islanders, Buffalo Sabres, Vancouver Canucks, Phoenix and the Rangers, notching 136 goals, 140 assists and 276 points. Pyatt has 24 points (10G / 4A) in 69 career playoff contests.
Bouchard will likely be sent to Bridgeport and Ryan Strome will be recalled.
Bouchard has been placed on waivers presumably to clear roster space in order to recall Ryan Strome. The Islanders are in desperate need of offence and Strome was the 5th overall pick in 2011 and leads the AHL with with 33 points (9G / 24A). Bouchard has not recorded a point in the last eight games and has just four goals and five assists in 28 games. He signed one-year, $2 million contract in the offseason and could be claimed by a team in need of forward depth .
Smithson has played in 13 games with the Maple Leafs, averaged 10:20 TOI, has no points, a minus-4 rating and one shot on goal. He is on a two-way contract so there will be no cap-hit if he is claimed from waivers.
Klesla, 31, is in his 12th season in the NHL and will head to the AHL after clearing waivers today. He hasten goal and two assists in 15 games this season. He has played 649 NHL games, but will reportedly report to Portland without any issue. He is expected to be recalled at some point this season.
D'Agostini has one assist in eight games with the Penguins this season. He should see a bump in ice-time heading from a good Pittsburgh team to a bad Buffalo team, but he still doesn't figure to be fantasy relevant.
D'Agostini had been a healthy scratch for a week until Beau Bennett was injured. D'Agostini has one assist in eight games.
Klesla was a healthy scratch on November 16, but has played in the last three games. He has one goal and two assists in 15 games this season. The Coyotes have a lot of depth on the backend, so Klesla appears to be the victim of a numbers game.
"He left today. It was not our decision," GM Lou Lamoriello of Olesz. "Olesz came to Devils to play in NHL and feels he's played enough in AHL" It sounds like Olesz has been given a chance to play in Europe and the Devils won't stand in his way.
Weber has proven to be a serviceable NHL defenceman since being drafted in 2007. However, he has found himself in a log jam on the blueline in Vancouver, but could be claimed before noon tomorrow by a team lacking D depth.
With the signing of Ilya Bryzgalov it was obvious that Labarbera was not going to be with the Oilers for long. In six appearances this season, he has one win with a 3.69 GAA and .858 SV%.
