MacLean, Woywitka Claimed Off Waivers

  The waiver wire continued its’ busy course ahead of the new season as two more players were claimed off waivers today.

  The Winnipeg Jets added some scoring depth to their growing roster, as forward Brett MacLean was claimed by the club from the Phoenix Coyotes. MacLean had been placed on waivers by the Coyotes yesterday with the intention of having the 23 year-old return to Portland, the Coyote’s AHL affiliate. Instead, he will put on a blue jersey - much further north.

  The Coyotes will feel the loss, as the 6’2 200lbs. winger they drafted in the 2nd round (32nd overall) of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft has been lost with no return to make up for it. MacLean had signed a new contract with the club in July for one year at $735,000.

  In 2010-2011 MacLean played the majority of his year with San Antonio (Phoenix’s AHL affiliate then) where he tallied 23 goals and 27 assists for 50 points and a +13 rating in 51 games. He appeared 13 times with the Coyotes at the NHL level, his first NHL experience, and recorded two goals and one assist.

  In the American Hockey League MacLean has been a scoring machine. In three years spent with San Antonio, MacLean totaled 201 games played, notching 74 goals and 81 assists for 155 points and a respectable +31 rating. His OHL experience wasn’t much different as he tallied 131 goals and 288 points in 245 games with Oshawa.

  Like the Coyotes, Winnipeg can use scoring depth, and MacLean just may be able to provide it. Though it is not set in stone, head coach Claude Noel has admitted that if things go accordingly, MacLean could well debut with the Jets in the 2011-2012 season opener on Sunday. MacLean is set to become an unrestricted free-agent at the end of the year.

  Another waiver claim on the day comes in the form of 28 year-old defenseman Jeff Woywitka, who was claimed off the Montreal Candiens by the New York Rangers.

  The Canadiens signed the unrestricted free-agent to a one-year, two-way contract worth $650,000 in August, a deal that obviously didn’t pan out for either side.

  It does pan out quite nicely for the Rangers, however. With Marc Staal being out with post-concussion symptoms, the Rangers have acquired themselves an experienced blue-liner that has size to boot.

  The 6’2 224lbs. defenseman heads into his 7th NHL season, having played the second of his two years in 2010-2011 with the Dallas Stars. In that year, Woywitka played 63 games and tallied 2 goals and 11 points with a +5 rating and 24 penalty minutes. Woywitka is a force to be reckoned with, and has cool head on his shoulders with an ability to slide into the 5th through 7th spot on a lot of team’s blue-lines.

  Woywitka brings experience, too. He was drafted 27th overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in 2001, and battled his way through 315 games at the AHL level. In six NHL regular season outings, Woywitka is 251 games experienced, and has tallied 8 goals and 41 assists for 49 total points and a 141 penalty minutes.

  Woywitka also has a connection in that of the off-season acquisition of Brad Richards, who was also a long-time Dallas Star.

  It isn’t likely Woywitka will spend the entire year up with the Blue Shirts in 2011-2012, but judging by his past, there isn’t any doubt that he will try.

- Kendall Grubbs