NHL Waiver Wire: Pyyhtia and Harkins Hit the Block While Yesterday's Group Clears

The NHL waiver wire is basically the league's version of a thrift store donation bin, and today's drop features a couple of depth pieces looking for a new home. Mikael Pyyhtia of the Columbus Blue Jackets and Jansen Harkins of the Tampa Bay Lightning are officially on the wire.

Getting waived in early October is a tough pill to swallow. It is the hockey equivalent of being told your trial subscription has expired before you even figured out how to use the app.

"PuckPedia reported that Mikael Pyyhtia and Jansen Harkins were placed on waivers today."

Columbus is shuffling the deck after a mixed bag of a start. The Blue Jackets just dropped a 4-1 game to Utah after hanging six goals on Buffalo a few days prior, making Pyyhtia the odd man out as they try to lock in their rotation.

Down in Florida, the Lightning are tossing Harkins onto the wire despite a solid run of form. Tampa Bay just rattled off back-to-back wins over Washington and Philadelphia, outscoring them 7-2 combined. The vibes are fine, but the bottom-six math simply did not work out in Harkins' favor.

Meanwhile, the guys who had to sweat out yesterday's wire can finally unpack their bags. According to PuckPedia, Robertson, Zary, and Pachal all cleared waivers unclaimed and will remain with their respective organizations.

If you are looking at the betting board for Tampa Bay's upcoming matchup against Minnesota on October 8, do not expect these roster tweaks to move the needle. Harkins and Pyyhtia are depth guys, not line-movers.

For the players themselves, the next 24 hours are a waiting game. They will either get a fresh start in a new city or pack their bags for the AHL while waiting for an injury call-up.