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Pierre-Marc Bouchard has officially cleared waivers, so his $2 million one-way deal could very well be bound for AHL Bridgeport barring any other roster maneuvers or IR-level injuries [Update: Officially now, Bouchard is being loaned to Bridgeport].
Realistically, only about a third of the NHL could comfortably fit Bouchard's contract under the salary cap as a straight-up add at this time, though that doesn't mean some of those teams might have been wise to kick the tires.
At any rate, as noted yesterday a Bouchard assignment to the AHL would create room for Ryan Strome, but with the Isles playing in San Jose tonight, that's a tight window with a lot of travel.
Sure enough, Arthur Staple of Newsday says:
Plan now is for Ryan Strome to meet #Isles in PHX tomorrow. Weather trouble and team didn't want him to fly all day then play.
— Arthur Staple (@StapeNewsday) December 10, 2013
The Isles play in Phoenix on Thursday, the merciful end to their merciless death march to the Western Conference.
Meanwhile, the Sound Tigers are playing their day game today for the kids. Ryan Strome is still in town, but is not playing, per Michael Fornabaio of the Connecticut Post.
More, More Money
Oh, also: Separately, the NHL is suspending everyone for behaving badly (Phaneuf is the latest, finally), and the NHL Board of Governor meetings include a salary cap update that projects a cap next year of $71 million.
