yardbarker
The Pittsburgh Penguins have placed defenseman Ilya Solovyov on waivers, a transaction that underscores the typical roster adjustments seen early in the NHL season. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet first reported the move, which leaves the 26-year-old Belarusian facing either a demotion to the American Hockey League or a possible claim by another team.
If Solovyov goes unclaimed, Pittsburgh plans to assign him to its Wilkes-Barre/Scranton affiliate, thereby opening a spot on the 23-man roster. His waiver placement comes just days after the Penguins acquired left-shot defenseman Spencer Stastney from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for forward Filip Hallander.
During morning skate line rushes, both Stastney and Solovyov skated as extra defensemen, indicating that the club now views Stastney as its preferred seventh defenseman. Despite surviving training camp and earning a spot on the opening-night roster, Solovyov has yet to appear in a regular-season game and has been a healthy scratch for the team's first four contests.
This is not Solovyov's first experience with the waiver process. Originally a seventh-round pick (205th overall) of the Calgary Flames in 2020, he spent several seasons developing within the Flames organization before being claimed by the Colorado Avalanche last October after failing to make their opening roster. In January, Colorado traded him to Pittsburgh in exchange for Valtteri Puustinen and a 2026 seventh-round pick.
With the Penguins, Solovyov enjoyed what many considered the most productive stretch of his NHL career, recording five assists in 14 games down the stretch while averaging roughly 14 minutes of ice time. Over his career, the 6-foot-3, 200-pound left-shot defenseman has appeared in 45 NHL games, tallying one goal and 12 points while bouncing between Calgary, Colorado, and Pittsburgh.
In May, he re-signed with Pittsburgh on a one-year contract carrying an $850,000 cap hit. That deal includes a strategic clause: if he plays fewer than 35 games this season, he will qualify as a Group VI unrestricted free agent next summer, potentially allowing him to pursue opportunities elsewhere.
Key Analysis
For Pittsburgh, the decision is largely a matter of roster management. With other players on injured reserve and additional forwards eventually returning, clearing Solovyov's spot provides flexibility without sacrificing organizational depth. For Solovyov, the waiver wire once again determines whether his next games come in the NHL or the AHL. Either outcome continues a career defined by short stints, opportunity windows, and the constant need to prove his value as a mobile, physical depth defender.
Originally reported by yardbarker.