71 players hit NHL waivers in massive Sunday cutdown ahead of Opening Night roster deadline

On September 27, 2026, 71 NHL players were placed on waivers by 22 teams ahead of the Opening Night roster deadline of 5 pm ET on Monday. Notable players available include Henri Jokiharju, Ilya Lyubushkin ($3.25M), Nick Perbix ($2.75M), and 11 goaltenders including Ilya Samsonov and Vitek Vanecek. The high cap hits on Perbix and Lyubushkin suggest their waiver placements are likely cap-clearing moves ahead of potential trades.