Penguins place newly acquired defenseman on unconditional waivers, opening door for Canadiens

Surprise in Pittsburgh: Egor Zamula is already at the center of a major situation.

According to Chris Johnston, the Pittsburgh Penguins have placed him on unconditional waivers with the intention of terminating his contract. That's fast, especially following such a recent trade.

Zamula, 25, had just been acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Phillip Tomasino. The defenseman had just one point, an assist, in 13 games this season, and had been sent down to the AHL.

The situation becomes even more intense because Pittsburgh also suspended him for failing to report to its AHL affiliate. That information was publicly confirmed in recent days, adding another layer of tension to the file.

We're still talking about a player with NHL experience. Since making his debut, Zamula has played 168 NHL games, recording 8 goals and 41 points. His contract carries a cap hit of $1.7 million per season.

The term "unconditional waivers" is not insignificant. It is specifically used when a player is placed on waivers for the purpose of a contract termination, which then makes him free to sign elsewhere if he goes unclaimed.

That's exactly what led to the acquisition of Alexandre Texier by Kent Hughes and the Canadiens.

For the Montreal Canadiens, this type of news always draws attention, because a player on waivers inevitably sparks discussion. But here, it's mainly the speed of events that stands out: trade, complication, then waivers announced.

Still according to Johnston, several teams have already officially expressed interest.

Is the CH one of those teams? A situation to monitor.

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