With Detroit Red Wings defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker clearing waivers this weekend, the roster now sits at 25 players (with J.T. Compher, Marco Kasper and Mason Appleton still injured). When those players return from injury - and Simon Edvinsson is (potentially) signed - some decisions will have to be made about the roster.
These four players are most at risk of hitting waivers or reassignment to the Grand Rapids Griffins:
Mason Appleton's ice time keeps dropping
Last season, free agent signee Mason Appleton started his NHL season off hot, scoring a handful of goals and points in October. Since then, he's been relatively quiet. Now, over a year later, Appleton's played just two games for the Red Wings, averaging 9:51 a night.
To be fair, Appleton has been nursing an injury through the majority of the season. But, when he's taken to the ice, he's proven to be less than effective, failing to generate any offense in what little he played of both games. Unless he manages a strong go of the next few games, there's a chance he might hit waivers soon.
Carter Mazur is in the same boat
Speaking of depth forwards at risk of losing their jobs, Carter Mazur is treading dangerous water right now. Like Appleton, Mazur has played only a few games this season, failing to make a major impact. Unlike Appleton, however, Mazur hasn't sustained an injury. His average ice time of 8:24 a game is the lowest among all Red Wings skaters.
Worse yet, the Red Wings seem content to play an 11-7 style, making that last spot on the fourth line an unfortunate casualty of healthy scratches. This has, in turn, put Mazur in a tough position: when he's able to play, he's only offered a handful of minutes a night. When he only plays a handful of minutes a night, he isn't able to effectively produce.
It's a self-fulfilling prophecy and one that could spell the end of Mazur's time with the Red Wings (for now).
Andreas Englund's stopgap role could come to an end
When the Red Wings claimed Englund off waivers, fans were perplexed. What was the point in taking Englund when Simon Edvinsson was supposedly so close to being signed? Flash forward to today and it becomes quite evident why. Englund is meant to be a band-aid -- a temporary solution to a much larger problem. Once that problem is solved, Englund will likely hit waivers once again.
He hasn't been a particularly bad player by any means, but the Red Wings will likely prioritize the growth of young defensemen like Anton Johansson and Axel Sandin-Pellikka first. If Englund isn't claimed off waivers, it wouldn't be a shock to see him head back to Detroit as soon as an injury occurs.
It's sink or swim for William Wallinder
Watching William Wallinder is like flipping a coin. Sometimes - like in his game against the Philadelphia Flyers - he's a constant presence, able to stifle the opposing team every time they touch the puck. On the other much uglier end of the spectrum, however, things can take a turn. Take Saturday's game against the San Jose Sharks, for example. Wallinder botched his assignment, resulting in a jaw-dropping tic tac toe goal for the Sharks.
Mistakes like this happen, but, with Wallinder, they seem to pile up all at once. Whether he remains with the Red Wings or finds his way to the waivers, he'll learn from this experience. Wallinder's next game is imperative for his success in the Winged Wheel.
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