The San Jose Sharks are making a roster move that could open the door for defenseman Vincent Iorio to get more consistent ice time - just not in the NHL. The club has placed Iorio on conditional waivers with the intention of sending him down to their AHL affiliate.
That means Iorio is now available to be claimed by any of the NHL’s other 30 teams over the next 24 hours - with one notable exception: the Vegas Golden Knights. Vegas is already maxed out at 50 standard player contracts, so they’d have to make a corresponding move just to be eligible to claim him.
Cap space could also be a hurdle for a couple of other clubs. The Edmonton Oilers and Montreal Canadiens would need to juggle their rosters to fit in Iorio’s $814,167 cap hit if they wanted to take a shot.
Since we’re well past October, the NHL’s waiver priority now follows the inverse of the standings - meaning the Vancouver Canucks currently get first dibs if they want to make a claim. On the opposite end, the Colorado Avalanche are last in line.
This isn’t Iorio’s first time on the waiver wire this season. He was waived early on by the Washington Capitals, and that’s when San Jose scooped him up. He also spent some time with the San Jose Barracuda in November on a conditioning stint, but until now, he hadn’t been placed back on waivers.
The move comes after Iorio was a healthy scratch for six straight games. It’s clear that playing time has been hard to come by in San Jose, and this move likely reflects the team’s desire to get him back on the ice in the AHL rather than letting him sit in the press box. It also signals that the Sharks aren’t overly concerned about the risk of losing him to another team - a sign that, at least in their eyes, his NHL value isn’t high enough at the moment to warrant protecting him on the roster.
Through 21 games with the Sharks this season, Iorio has tallied three assists. During his short stint with the Barracuda earlier this year, he put up seven assists in just six games - a strong showing that suggests he could benefit from more minutes and responsibilities at the AHL level.
For now, all eyes will be on the waiver wire to see if any team takes a chance on the 21-year-old blueliner. If not, he’ll head to the AHL, where he’ll look to sharpen his game and make a case for another NHL opportunity down the line.