Phil Di Giuseppe’s NHL journey hit another bump as the Vancouver Canucks placed the 31-year-old forward on waivers.
The Toronto native managed just six points in 20 games this season, continuing a pattern of limited offensive production at the NHL level.
It’s been a winding road for Di Giuseppe since the Carolina Hurricanes picked him 38th overall in 2012. While he showed promise at the University of Michigan, where he spent three productive years, he’s struggled to find his footing in the big leagues.
His longest stint came with the Hurricanes, where he played four seasons and made his presence felt physically with 347 hits. But the offensive numbers – 14 goals and 27 points in 147 games – never quite matched expectations.
The last few years have been especially tough. After Carolina waived him, he had a brief stop in Nashville before landing with the New York Rangers. His time in the Big Apple wasn’t much better, posting just 12 points in 51 games.
Vancouver took a chance on him, but after three seasons, they’re moving in a different direction.
Teams have 24 hours to claim Di Giuseppe, who’s in the final year of his $1.5M contract. If he clears waivers, he’ll likely head to Vancouver’s AHL affiliate in Abbotsford – unless both sides agree to part ways completely.
At 31, Di Giuseppe might still catch on somewhere as a depth forward. NHL teams are always looking for experienced players who can step in during injury crunches. But his days as a regular in the lineup could be numbered.
