Former Vancouver Canucks defenseman Riley Stillman appears to be getting close to a return to game action.
The 26-year-old blueliner saw his season come to an end early back in April as he needed surgery to fix a lower-body injury he suffered during an AHL game against the Toronto Marlies.
After signing with the Carolina Hurricanes as an unrestricted free agent, Stillman was looking forward to a new opportunity with a new club, but the excitment quickly wore off after he suffered suffered a lower-body injury during training camp.
Stillman has been out of the lineup since suffering the injury in camp and couldn't appear in any pre-season contests. But it appears that he's close to returning to the ice.
Riley Stillman placed on NHL waivers
According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, the Carolina Hurricanes have placed Riley Stillman on waivers in order to assign him to the American Hockey League's Chicago Wolves. Also on today's waiver wire is veteran goaltender James Reimer.
'James Reimer and Riley Stillman on waivers today.Benning/Athanasiou clear' Friedman said in a social media post on Tuesday.
Stillman, a native of Peterborough, Ontario, was dealt to the Vancouver Canucks in October 2022 from the Chicago Blackhawks. In 32 games for Vancouver during the 2022-23 season, Stillman registered five assists, 23 penalty minutes and was a minus-14. Nearly five months later, the Canucks traded Stillman to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for prospect Josh Bloom, who took his game to the next level in the Ontario Hockey League last season.
We'll have to wait and see tomorrow at 11 am PT if Riley Stillman is claimed off waivers or if he clears and is assigned to the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. Given he's returning from an injury, it's more likely that he'll clear waivers.
