Washington Capitals goaltender Pheonix Copley cleared waivers, the team announced on Thursday afternoon. The team waived the 27-year old on Wednesday in an effort to send him to the AHL’s Hershey Bears.
Pheonix Copley has cleared waivers and has been loaned to Hershey.
— CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) October 3, 2019
Copley signed a three-year contract extension that carries an average annual value of $1.1 million with the Capitals on February 4. He went 16-7-3 with a .905 save percentage, a 2.90 goals-against average, and one shutout in his first season as an NHL backup last year.
The Bears open their season on Saturday night against the Wilkes-Barrie Scranton Penguins and Copley could get the start.
Putting Copley on waivers saved the Capitals $175,000 on the NHL salary cap.
Goaltender Ilya Samsonov, who won the backup job in training camp and forced the team to waive Copley, will make his NHL debut when the Capitals visit the New York Islanders on Friday (7 PM ET, NBC Sports Washington).
By Harrison Brown