After cutting 27 players from training camp following Saturday’s loss to Toronto, the Habs have made two more cuts, announcing Sunday that forwards Lucas Condotta and Brandon Gignac have been placed on waivers.
Condotta is entering his third full season with the Canadiens after signing with them as an undrafted free agent in 2022. Last season, the 26-year-old played in 65 games with Laval, picking up eight goals and 11 assists while getting into three appearances with Montreal. He played twice in the preseason including on Saturday where he wound up taking several shifts on defence in the back half of the games.
As for Gignac, he entered last season on a minor-league deal with Laval but had that converted to an NHL contract, allowing him to get into seven games with Montreal where he scored his first goal. The 26-year-old was one of the Rocket’s top performers last season, tallying 19 goals and 36 assists in 61 games. He suited up just once in Montreal’s four preseason contests.
Both players cleared waivers a year ago, Condotta at the end of training camp while Gignac cleared later in the season. At this point, it seems likely that they’ll pass through unclaimed, permitting them to be sent down after 2 PM ET on Monday.
In other news Sunday, the Department of Player Safety announced that defenceman Arber Xhekaj was fined $3,385.42, the maximum allowable under the CBA, for unsportsmanlike conduct on Toronto’s Cedric Pare in the first period of Saturday’s game. That means no suspension will be coming his way.