The Dallas Stars put center Cameron Hughes on waivers Thursday, opening the door for all 31 other NHL teams to claim the veteran pivot.
If Hughes clears, Dallas can send him to its AHL affiliate, the Texas Stars.
Hughes, 30, has not played in a game for Dallas this season after suffering an upper-body injury in the preseason. That setback landed him on injured reserve to start the year.
Last season, the Edmonton native appeared in only three games for the Stars and recorded one goal with no assists. He made a much bigger impact in Texas, finishing with 17 goals and 51 assists for 68 points in 65 games. He then added a goal and five assists for six points in Texas’ first-round playoff loss to the Chicago Wolves, a series that ended in five games.
The Boston Bruins drafted Hughes in the sixth round in 2015, and he completed a four-year run at the University of Wisconsin before turning pro full time in 2018-19. His junior year at Wisconsin produced seven goals and 25 assists for 32 points in 37 games.
His NHL chances in Boston were limited. Over four-plus seasons in the Bruins organization, Hughes played just two NHL games and did not score. But he kept progressing with Providence, peaking in 2021-22 with 14 goals and 31 assists for 45 points in 59 games.
Before the 2022-23 season, Hughes signed a two-year, two-way deal with the Seattle Kraken. He spent both seasons in the organization with Coachella Valley, where he totaled 44 goals and 69 assists for 113 points across 130 regular season games.
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Stars Turn To Rookie As Injuries Test Dallas Blue Line
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Stars Suddenly Face A Massive Jason Robertson Decision
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For now, there is no certainty that those talks will produce a new contract, which is what makes this such a noteworthy subplot for a team with expectations to stay in the mix. Robertson remains one of the key pieces of the roster, and the timing of his next deal could shape more than just the offseason calendar if the Stars cannot find common ground when negotiations begin. [Read more 🡒]