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The Winnipeg Jets have placed free agent signee TJ Galiardi on waivers.
T.J. Galiardi has been placed on waivers by the #NHLJets.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) November 25, 2014
The move came as a bit of a surprise as the Jets didn't have a known issue with roster size.
Of course it could have something to do with the injury of Tobias Enstrom.
Toby Enstrom out day to day with lower body for #NHLJets
— Shane Hnidy (@ShaneHnidy) November 25, 2014
With Toby out, and Clitsome presumably drawing in, the Winnipeg Jets would be without a backup plan on defense. They would need to move somebody off the NHL roster, either through demotion (Galiardi) or Injured Reserve (Enstrom) in order to call a defenseman up from the AHL.
The fall of TJ Galiardi has been something to watch. Galiardi was logging big minutes relative to the Winnipeg Jets' other fourth liners. He averaged more than 10 minutes a game this year and was a big factor in the penalty kill early on. Then he was scratched and seemingly has been passed on the Jets' depth chart by Chris Thorburn, Matt Halischuk and Anthony Peluso in the days since.
It is worth nothing that T.J. Galiardi has the second-worst Corsi percentage on the team (43.6), but it is also worth noting - for no reason more than my own enjoyment - that this number dropped to 35.9 when he was paired with Thorburn. Oof.
What do you think of this move?