Why The Vancouver Canucks May Be Forced To Send Max Sasson Back To The AHL

The Vancouver Canucks have an important decision to make regarding Max Sasson. While the 25-year-old has had a strong start to the season, the organization could be forced to send him back to the AHL during the month of December. The reason has to do with waiver eligibility and upcoming projected roster moves as players are activated from IR.

Sasson is currently waiver-exempt as he has only played 52 games in his NHL career. Due to his age, he will only remain waiver exempt for another eight games, as his exemption goes away after he has played 60 career games. Assuming he plays every game over the next few weeks, this means his last game of waiver exemption would be on December 19, 2025.

As mentioned, Sasson arguably deserves to stay in the NHL. Over his 23 games, he has seven points and has been moved up the lineup on occasion thanks to his impressive play. Sasson has also shown he can play center consistently, which is an area of need for the Canucks.

Before going further, it is important to note that Sasson has outplayed other forwards on the roster. The issue is that while Vancouver can send others to the AHL, waivers would be involved. Despite calls on social media for that certain players would 100% clear, that is not the case, as there is a chance the Canucks could lose an asset for nothing.

In the end, the conversation around Sasson is going to get complicated over the next three weeks. While he has earned his spot in the lineup, the ability to send him to the Abbotsford Canucks without having to place him on waivers is an important piece of the puzzle. Ultimately, the organization faces a tough decision as Sasson's waiver exemption deadline approaches.

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