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Flyers place Nicolas Aube-Kubel on waivers

By Ariel Melendez |
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - NOVEMBER 02: Nicolas Aube-Kubel #62 of the Philadelphia Flyers skates with the puck during the second period against the Arizona Coyotes at Wells Fargo Center on November 02, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - NOVEMBER 02: Nicolas Aube-Kubel #62 of the Philadelphia Flyers skates with the puck during the second period against the Arizona Coyotes at Wells Fargo Center on November 02, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

On Friday afternoon, the Flyers announced that they have placed Nicolas Aube-Kubel on waivers. The fourth-liner could either be assigned to the Phantoms or end up joining a new NHL team in the next 21 hours.

This moves comes as a precursor to a potential Kevin Hayes sighting this weekend. The veteran forward has missed every game thus far as he underwent a second abdominal surgery just before training camp began. He had been cleared to participate in practices with the team and is awaiting on full medical clearance.

Alain Vigneault previously said it was possible that Hayes could play next Tuesday when the Flyers welcome in the Flames. But apparently Hayes has been campaigning to play a bit sooner than that.

“Kevin is on a campaign right now to play on this road trip. He’s gone to everyone in my staff, medical, the doctors that he wants to play on this trip. He just hasn’t come to me yet  but I know that’s gonna follow. So I would not count him out.”

Placing Aube-Kubel on waivers, along with the Nick Seeler demotion that may come tomorrow, would allow the Flyers to bring Hayes back into the lineup. Ryan Ellis is also expected to re-join the lineup which is why Seeler would go down as well.

For Aube-Kubel, he has gotten plenty of praise from Vigneault on the work he did in the off-season and the way he came into camp. But he hasn’t quite been able to put together a consistent effort on the ice. With one point in seven games, he has also spent four games as a healthy scratch early in the year.

After getting a real chance in 2019-20, Aube-Kubel posted 15 points in 36 games, including his first career NHL goal. Since then, he has 13 points in 57 games. It’s not all about the points, but he’s also gotten into penalty trouble that has hurt the team as well.

Recent waiver claims in Patrick Brown and Zack MacEwen have overtaken him on the depth chart. Both players would certainly be re-claimed by their old team if the Flyers were to expose either one of them to waivers. With this move, they seem to be admitting that they would be alright with losing Aube-Kubel after signing him to a two-year deal last summer.

If he does clear waivers, he would be a welcomed addition to the Phantoms. He was last with them during the 19-20 campaign. He has 105 points in 229 AHL games.

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