Throughout an NHL season, there are difficult decisions that front offices have to make, as was the case for the Washington Capitals. Dylan McIlrath, who was injured in the final preseason game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, is expected to come off of injured reserve this week. To make room for him, the Capitals had to make a tough decision, and now they are keeping their fingers crossed.
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reported that Washington placed young defenseman Vincent Iorio on waivers and assigned him to the Hershey Bears in the American Hockey League (AHL). Doing this is a huge risk for the Capitals - he might be claimed before he clears through.
Capitals placing Vincent Iorio on waivers is dangerous move
Plenty of young players have been placed on waivers over the last couple of weeks as teams finalize their rosters. A lot of teams have been fortunate enough to keep some of their best prospects in this round of roster roulette. Now, Washington is rolling the dice with Iorio.
A second-round pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, and 55th overall, the 6-foot-4, 220-pound right-shot will certainly draw some interest from other clubs. Whether or not another team makes a claim remains to be seen. With three games played in the new season some teams are already finding cracks that need filling.
Iorio had four goals and 14 points last season for the Hershey Bears with an eye-opening plus/minus of plus-26. That doesn’t seem like a big deal in the AHL, but it shows how smart a decision-maker he is and the solid two-way game he plays.
Carbery passed up a truly promising D-man, who managed to score a hotly contested goal this preseason with the Capitals. He did it to keep McIlrath on the Capitals roster. The 6-foot-5, 240-pounder has played very sparingly for Washington over the last three seasons, in just 26 games. He brings a heavy and physical game to the lineup when he gets in. The 33-year-old is an enforcer makes his presence felt. He has been Washington's 7th or 8th defenseman, a role he plays well, and where he has delivered when his number is called.
It will be interesting to see if Iorio clears waivers, as some teams can clearly use a young, promising defenseman right now (cough, Sharks, cough). This was certainly a tough move that the Capitals hope pays off. Vincent will be in Hershey at the end of the week. If Mike Grier doesn't read this, it's waiver-wire gold for Washington.