Once upon a time, Chris Didomenico was claimed by the Tampa Bay Lightning off waivers from the Ottawa Senators. He was just as swiftly sent down to the Syracuse Crunch on a conditioning stint. After the allotted time of the stint was done, he went back up to Tampa — but for roster number purposes, had to be sent back down through waivers yesterday.
Steve Yzerman gambled that he would not be picked up again by the Ottawa Senators.
Per our last article:
DiDomenico started the 2017-18 season with AHL Belleville. He played in four games and amassed five points before being called up to the NHL. In 12 games with the Ottawa Senators this season, DiDomenico has scored three goals and has six points. His last game was this past Sunday, against the New York Rangers.
GeoFitz4 speculated last night that Ottawa had the maximum number of roster slots, and would therefore not claim Didomenico off waivers today, as was their right as the initial holder of his contract. “Ottawa has 46 NHL contracts, so Tampa can certainly let him pass through waivers and take him back and assign him to the AHL,” Geo said.
“They don’t have to put him back on the NHL roster. But if Steve Yzerman made a handshake agreement with Ottawa to not retake Dumont if they put him on waivers, Ottawa could allow the Lightning to keep DiDomenico. Also seems unlikely that any other team would claim him since TB would have been near the end of the claim priority list when they took him.”
We were wrong.
Ottawa re-claims Chris Didomenico off waivers from Tampa. Habs put B. Davidson on waivers.
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) December 2, 2017
Didomenico never dressed for a game with the Lightning, and would have played for the Crunch this weekend.
Crunch roster moves
The Syracuse Crunch still need help. Last weekend and into this past week, Syracuse dressed 8 defensemen and had Daniel Walcott play as a forward. Sadly, Walcott was injured this past Wednesday while playing in Toronto, leaving the Crunch without that option.
Syracuse signed Mathieu Brodeur to a professional tryout contract (PTO) to replace Walcott, and went 11-7 Friday night against Laval. During that game, forward Dennis Yan was injured and was unable to return. He is now out for an unknown amount of time.
Given all of the holes in the Crunch’s original roster right now – Cory Conacher and Jamie McBain are recalled, Erik Condra, Yan, and Walcott are hurt, McGinn is traded, Dumont and Didomenico were lost on waivers – it looks like Syracuse is finally getting some help from the stock of players they have in the ECHL:
S. Conacher, Loney, Spencer all recalled from Adirondack to play for Crunch tonight
— Syracuse Hockey (@syrhockey) December 2, 2017
