Wild grab Chisholm from waiver wire

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This article was published 29/01/2024 (616 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Declan Chisholm has a new hockey home.

The now-former Winnipeg Jets defenceman was claimed Monday by the Minnesota Wild, one day after being placed on waivers by the club that drafted him in the fifth round in 2018.

Chisholm, 24, has played two NHL games this season, recording one assist, and suited up for a pair during the 2021-22 campaign. He has appeared in 146 games with the Manitoba Moose after finishing up his junior stint with the Peterborough Petes in 2020, racking up 91 points (16 goals, 75 assists) in that time.

The Ontario product had been a healthy scratch for much of the year, aside from a six-game conditioning stint in the AHL. He’ll join a struggling Wild team that recently lost captain Jared Spurgeon to a season-ending injury.

Minnesota visits Winnipeg on Feb. 20.

With a healthy Josh Morrissey, Neal Pionk, Dylan DeMelo, Brenden Dillon, Dylan Samberg, Nate Schmidt and Logan Stanley ahead of him on Winnipeg’s depth chart and Ville Heinola and Kyle Capobianco as depth with the Moose, Chisholm’s path to regular NHL work appeared blocked.

He is the fourth player the Jets have lost on waivers in the past two seasons. Forward Jansen Harkins was claimed earlier this year by the Pittsburgh Penguins, and forward Mikey Eyssimont (San Jose Sharks) and defenceman Johnny Kovacevic (Montreal Canadiens) departed last year.

The loss of Chisholm leaves Winnipeg with 22 active players on the roster, along with forwards Mark Scheifele and David Gustafsson on injured reserve. They are both expected to be activated before the Jets return to action next Tuesday, meaning another move may be necessary.

A forward, likely either Axel Jonsson-Fjallby or Dominic Toninato, would be the likely casualty. Both require waivers in order to be sent down to the Moose.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

X: @mikemcintyrewpg