Paul Martin placed on waivers
The defenseman’s time in teal might not be over, though.
Paul Martin has been placed on waivers, per Pierre LeBrun.
Paul Martin has been placed on waivers and Montreal claims Logan Shaw from Anaheim on waivers
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) January 15, 2018
Martin’s agent requested a trade and it appears Doug Wilson hasn’t found any takers. That’s not necessarily an indictment on Paulie — with only three games under his belt this season and a questionable lingering injury, he becomes a risk for trading tangible assets.
If unclaimed, he’ll once again play for the San Jose Barracuda, with whom he spent some time last month for conditioning.
LeBrun theorized that this may actually be the goal.
Paul Martin might be placed on waivers over the next few days if a trade doesn't materialize in order to get him to AHL to play games... https://t.co/xc4KBk2eop
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) January 15, 2018
Not only would it get Martin games to showcase him for a potential trade, but if he clears waivers, Martin will be able to play for another team’s AHL affiliate without passing through waivers again once traded.
Either way, it appears his time with the big club in San Jose has come to an end. The 36-year-old defenseman was originally drafted 62nd overall by the New Jersey Devils in 2000. He signed with the Sharks in free agency in 2015 and quickly became hailed as the “Brent Burns whisperer,” helping take the team to the Stanley Cup Final, where he lost to his former team, the Pittsburgh Penguins. His time with the Barracuda this year was the first time Martin had played in the AHL, having gone straight from the University of Minnesota to the New Jersey Devils in 2003.