Former second-round pick placed on waivers by Tampa Bay giving the Boston Bruins an opportunity
A former second-round pick player has been placed on waivers by the Tampa Bay Lightning, giving the Bruins a opportunity to claim him for free.
The Tampa Bay Lightning have had a strong start to the season with a 5-3-0 record, but on Sunday, they made a surprising decision by waiving forward Gabriel Fortier, a former second-round draft pick.
Fortier, who has mainly played with Tampa Bay's AHL team, the Syracuse Crunch, is coming off offseason surgery. NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman mentioned that waiving him now likely indicates he's close to returning to game action.
Over his last two seasons with Syracuse, Fortier has consistently contributed, putting up 29 and 26 points, respectively. Standing 5-foot-11, Fortier relies more on his skill than size and has built a solid track record in the AHL since starting his pro career in 2018.
At 24 years old, Fortier has shown potential but has only appeared in 11 NHL games, scoring one goal. Though he's yet to secure a regular NHL spot, he's added depth to the Lightning's roster over the years. This would be a perfect type of players for the Boston Bruins to take a chance on.
So far this season, NHL waiver claims have been quiet, and Fortier was the only player placed on waivers on Sunday. If unclaimed, he'll rejoin the Crunch for more AHL action and aim to earn another shot at the NHL as the season progresses.
| POLL | ||
Do you think this would be a good player for the Boston Bruins to claim? | ||
| Yes | 58 | 55.8 % |
| No | 46 | 44.2 % |
| List of polls | ||
