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Red Wings Put Jacob Bryson on Waivers
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- Red Wings Put Jacob Bryson on Waivers
The Detroit Red Wings have placed defenseman Jacob Bryson on waivers, creating another significant development in the club's crowded blue-line competition.
Bryson, 28, signed a one-year contract with Detroit on July 1 after playing 304 NHL games with Winnipeg and Buffalo. The official announcement listed his cap hit at $850,000. Now, Detroit has placed him on waivers with the apparent intent of sending him to Grand Rapids if he clears.
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The decision does not guarantee an opening-night job for Axel Sandin-Pellikka , William Wallinder or Anton Johansson. It does remove one veteran option from the immediate competition and gives Detroit more room to evaluate its younger defensemen.
Interim general manager Shawn Horcoff has already made it clear that he is not treating the roster as settled during his first stretch in charge . Waiving Bryson is a move that gives the organization a clearer look at what it has.
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What Happens If Bryson Clears or Is Claimed
Bryson has not cleared waivers yet. Under the NHL's Collective Bargaining Agreement, other clubs have a 24-hour waiver period to submit a claim.
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If Bryson is claimed, Detroit would lose the defenseman and his contract would transfer to the claiming team. If he clears, the Red Wings could assign him to the Grand Rapids Griffins while retaining him as experienced organizational depth.
That distinction matters. Detroit has not simply removed Bryson from the picture. The club is awaiting the waiver result before determining where he fits.
The move also should not be framed as an automatic promotion for a prospect. Sandin-Pellikka, Wallinder and Anton Johansson are competing against each other, along with the broader reality of Detroit's roster needs, defensive pairings and special-teams assignments.
The Young Defensemen Have a Real Opportunity
Bryson's waiver placement makes the competition more consequential for Detroit's younger blue-liners.
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Sandin-Pellikka brings the most immediate intrigue because of his offensive upside. Wallinder has continued to push for a larger opportunity, while Anton Johansson remains another young option who could benefit from a thinner group of veteran competitors.
The Red Wings are also still working through Simon Edvinsson's contract situation , adding another layer to the defense picture.
Detroit does not need every young defenseman to make the NHL roster immediately. It does need to identify which players can be trusted with meaningful minutes when injuries, uneven play or schedule pressure arrive.
Bryson's waiver status creates space. The next few days will determine whether that space becomes a roster spot, a Grand Rapids assignment or an opportunity another NHL club chooses to take.
