With NHL training camps coming to a close, it is time to examine which players may be placed on waivers with the hope that their club can sneak them through and store them on the farm, or develop them further. But every year, valuable adds are made on the waiver wire, and this year offers some interesting cases.

One of the most successful waiver claims in recent memory came at this time last season as Florida waived eventual Cup champion goaltender Brandon Bussi. Carolina scooped up the journeyman AHL goalie and he performed unbelievably well, going 31-6-2 and recording the final three wins of the Hurricanes’ playoff run, including a shutout in the deciding Game 6.

While very few adds are the grand slam Bussi was, there may be a few players of interest to the Edmonton Oilers that could end up being waived within the next week.

Let’s dive into PuckPedia’s Waiver Watch page to look at some candidates.

In July 2025, Reinhardt signed a two-year deal with Vegas as a free agent and subsequently became a semi-regular roster player for the Golden Knights last season. After picking up three goals and seven points in 44 games for Vegas, he was waived and claimed by Florida last March. From there, he really excelled. The Calgary native picked up six goals and eight points in 15 games down the stretch for the Panthers, including five goals in the final four games of the season.

This pre-season, he has picked up where he left off, scoring two goals in Florida’s opener against Carolina. He has some speed (ranking in the 84th percentile in skating speed as per NHL Edge), as well as some size and penalty-killing ability. All skills that align with what Edmonton may seek in a depth role.

Initially selected by Edmonton in the first round of the 2024 draft, and then moved to Nashville in the Mattias Ekholm trade, Schaefer spent two-and-a-half years on the Predators’ farm team in Milwaukee before being recalled last season, where he chipped in with six goals and eight points.

The local product is a massive forward at 6-foot-5, 226 lbs, and at his best plays a style that one would hope for with that frame. Forechecking and going to the hard areas are his strong suits, and while he may not be what was expected as a first-round pick, the gradual rise could continue, and there may still be room for NHL success with Schaefer.

Sundqvist could prove to be exactly what Edmonton still requires in a fourth-line centre, penalty-killing type to replace Curtis Lazar should they decide that Josh Samanski is not ready for that role full-time yet.

The Boden, Sweden native can provide a little offence too as he tallied five goals and 17 points in 52 games last year, but would be claimed based on what he brings defensively. He should also draw interest since he is a right-handed centre and Edmonton does not currently have one.

Pelletier is a legitimate skill forward that just won the John B. Sollenberger Trophy as the AHL’s leading scorer last season with 28 goals and 77 points in 63 games. While he has a good chance to make the Lightning, he is certainly no lock with the abundance of forward depth they have on that team.

While he is on the smaller side at 5 -foot-10, 173 lbs, he has clear offensive talent, a good hockey sense, and is relentless on pucks. If he is waived, Edmonton should be interested in putting in a claim to see if his playmaking ability can transfer to the NHL level.

Miroshnichenko is in a similar situation to Pelletier in that they are skilled forwards looking to crack the rosters of teams that are very deep up front. The Caps’ winger, however, is a sniper and could certainly be used by a variety of teams if he isn’t able to make the Washington lineup out of camp. His hard forechecking style is another plus and even though his defensive game needs some work, his raw skills combined with the fact that he is only 22 give reason enough to be interested.

Edmonton will have a lot of teams ahead of them in line for waiver claims, as they finished 14th overall last season and until November 1, the claim order is the reverse of those standings, but that should not stop them from being interested in a defensive forward or scoring winger should one slip through the cracks.

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