With the excitement on the waiver wire as teams try to finalize their Opening Night rosters, the Hurricanes suffered a small roster casualty on Wednesday. The Nashville Predators claimed Tyson Jost after he was placed on waivers by the Canes following Tuesday's large round of cuts. He was the only player from this group to be claimed.
A 1st-round pick of the Colorado Avalanche in 2016, Jost hasn't quite had the career many expected after being selected 10th overall. While he had a few good years with the Avalanche, injuries and inconsistent play hampered his ability to break out. He was traded to Minnesota in 2022 before being claimed off waivers by the Sabres nine months later.
Jost joined the Hurricanes as a free agent last season, signing a one-year deal. Originally optioned to Chicago at the start of the season, Jost made his team debut in Vegas last November, scoring a goal in a 5-2 win.
With injuries becoming a concern for the forward group, Jost became a permanent part of the lineup after the 4 Nations break, playing 23 of the team's final 26 contests. Across his 39 total games with the Canes, Jost recorded four goals and nine points. He did not make an appearance during the Stanley Cup playoffs.
After returning to the team on a one-year, two-way deal this offseason, Jost played in four of the team's five preseason contests. He earned 12 minutes in penalties in the opener and an early exit after a scuffle in the third period. Jost added an assist in the team's 4-2 victory over the Predators on Sunday, helping on Bradly Nadeau's power-play goal.
What does this mean for the Hurricanes?
While losing Jost does affect the Canes' forward depth a little, the overall impact isn't too great. Jost would've been a good piece for the Chicago Wolves, but he could be equally impactful for the Predators, if he makes their roster out of camp.
This feels like good news for the fringe players who could be in line for a call-up if someone gets hurt. Jost was likely to be one of the first names called, as he was last season, so the line just got a little shorter. This would mean guys like Bradly Nadeau or Justin Robidas could be in the conversation to be the first man up.
It could also be a good sign for Givani Smith, who is trying to earn a contract after joining the team on a PTO for training camp. He has been a standout and is one of the few players remaining outside of the group we expect to make the Opening Night roster. Even if he signs and ends up in Chicago, Smith would, presumably, have a Top 6 spot waiting for him.
The Predators are getting a solid player to sure up the bottom of their NHL roster. He might not have been a big-time scorer with the Canes, but Jost put in good minutes and could be relied upon to do his job. His tenure in Raleigh was brief, though it still had a few good moments. Hopefully, he can make an impact for the Predators, too.