Wayne Simmonds has been placed on waivers twice this season and neither time has he been claimed. The Toronto Maple Leafs have made it clear they'd love to keep Simmonds in Toronto, but their difficult to manage salary cap and the team's style of play has made it difficult for Simmonds to find playing time.
During Simmonds' most recent trip through waivers it appears that one Western Conference team nearly put in a claim for Simmond's services. The Edmonton Oilers opted to trade Zach Kassian at last year's draft and without Evander Kane in the lineup the team has been starved for toughness. Ken Holland has made it know that he's in the market to add grit to his team.
The Oilers continue to struggle to score goals outside of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, so while adding Simmonds makes sense in their bottom six, it doesn't solve the Oilers problems. Now it appears the Oilers have moved in a different direction for their team, so Simmer will have to wait for another chance to become an NHL regular.
