Blue Jackets place Gaunce on waivers, Lightning’s Usau clears unconditional waivers

Some postseason waiver news around the National Hockey League.

On Sunday, the Columbus Blue Jackets placed forward Brendan Gaunce on waivers. Tampa Bay Lightning forward Iyla Usau also cleared unconditional waivers.

The 30-year-old had reportedly been nursing an injury that ailed him near the end of the 2023-24 regular season. Gaunce had been up and down between the Blue Jackets and their American Hockey League affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters. He played a few games around the turn of the New Year in Columbus, and joined the team for most of the final month of the season. In 24 games, the Sudbury, Ontario native scored two goals and two assists.

In 46 games with the Monsters, Gaunce has registered 19 goals and 39 points. If he were to clear waivers on Monday, he can re-join Cleveland for their Eastern Conference Final matchup with the defending Calder Cup champion Hershey Bears.

In 177 career NHL appearances, which has also seen stints with the Vancouver Canucks and Boston Bruins, Gaunce has scored 13 goals and 28 points.

Usau had been with the Lightning organization since signing an entry-level contract in March 2022. However, the Belarussian center has not played in the NHL, spending each of the last two seasons with Tampa’s primary affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch.

Reports came out on Saturday that Usau and the Lightning agreed to mutual contract termination. James Mirtle of The Athletic stated on Sunday that Usau might return to the Kontinental Hockey League. The 22-year-old played for his native Dinamo Minsk from 2020 to 2022.

In 42 games with the Crunch this season, Usau scored seven goals and 14 points. Over the past two seasons in the AHL, he scored 11 goals and 30 points, playing in four playoff games in 2023.