Hurricanes waive Darling

The Scott Darling saga took another turn Thursday when the Carolina Hurricanes placed the goalie on NHL waivers.

If Darling is not claimed by another team and clears waivers at noon today, he will be assigned to the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League. Darling is in the second year of a four-year contract that pays him $4.15 million a year, whether in the NHL or AHL. But with Curtis McElhinney, a waiver-wire pickup by the Canes, playing so well and Petr Mrazek considered a better second option, Darling became the odd man out in an untenable three-goalie situation.

After a miserable 2017-18 season with the Canes, Darling shed 50 pounds in offseason conditioning and came to preseason training camp with a more confident demeanor that showed in his play on the ice. Mrazek was signed to a one-year free agent contract and set to battle Darling for the starting job.

But Darling, who had looked sharp in preseason, was injured in the final preseason game. With just days before the regular-season opener, the Canes were in need of an experienced goalie and McElhinney available after being placed on waivers Oct. 1 by the Toronto Maple Leafs.