Sharks GM Mike Grier places veteran defenseman on waivers

San Jose Sharks general manager Mike Grier has announced that the team has placed veteran defenseman Scott Harrington on waivers.

Check it out courtesy of NHL insider Chris Johnston of TSN:

The 29 year old blue liner has suited up for just two games for the Sharks so far this season, following a season where he played mostly in the AHL for the Columbus Blue Jackets' affiliate Cleveland Monsters. His best season in the NHL came back in 2018-19 when he suited up for 73 games with the Blue Jackets. He was originally drafted in the 2nd round, 54th overall of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins. In total he has seven goals and 39 points in 212 games split between the Penguins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Blue Jackets and Sharks. 

It seems unlikely that Harrington will get picked up off waivers, but he does earn the NHL minimum $750,000 salary so if there's a team out there looking for a cheap depth option to get through a rough patch of injuries, he could be your man. For example, I could see a team like the Ottawa Senators taking a chance on Harrington, what do they have to lose besides the balance of Harrington's $750,000 salary?

Personally, Harrington is a player whose career I've watched with a bit of interest. He was an absolute stud defensive defenseman with the London Knights of the OHL in the early 2010s and was a star blue liner for Team Canada in the 2013 World Junior Championships. To me he looked like another new-age defensive defenseman in the mold of Chris Tanev or Kris Russel. That is, a fearless shot blocking monster with strong skating and puck moving skills. Equally adept at skating the puck out of trouble as he is at breaking up plays from the opposition. For whatever reason though Harrington has never found his footing in the NHL like Tanev or Russel have/did. Having said all that, he has carved out a career himself as a depth option wherever he has found himself. Maybe he'll be affordable a new opportunity with a new team to finally cement himself as an everyday top six NHL blue liner.