The Sharks have lost defenseman Vincent Iorio to the waiver wire after the New York Rangers claimed him the other day. The 23-year-old defender was picked up by the Sharks on waivers earlier in the season from the Washington Capitals.
Iorio was waived to make room on the roster for Shakir Mukhamadullin’s return from IR. The Sharks, for most of the year, were able to carry 9 defenseman, thanks in large part to various injuries keeping the roster compliant. With the team getting healthier and the forward depth increasing, the Sharks were forced to make a difficult decision.
Iorio is the casualty; the defender’s play had picked up in recent weeks after a tough start, during which he was loaned for a conditioning stint after sitting for multiple weeks. Iorio finished his Sharks tenure with 3 points in 21 games at the NHL level and 6 points in 7 games in the AHL. Even though Iorio has some intrigue to his game, he was the clear number 8 option on the Sharks and unlikely to get much playing time with a fully healthy Sharks blueline.
Iorio’s roster spot would also likely be replaced by prospect Eric Pohlkamp in the long-term future, with the 21-year-old defender likely making the jump to pro-hockey at the conclusion of his college season. Pohlkamp has established himself as an intriguing prospect with 16 goals and 28 points in 29 games for the University of Denver. Clearing Iorio’s contract will allow the Sharks the option to sign Pohlkamp this season, burning the first year of his ELC to help convince him to leave college early.
The Sharks will likely need to waive one more player to make room for Kiefer Sherwood, who could debut any day now. The most likely candidate could be Jeff Skinner, who has been regularly out of the lineup for the Sharks and would almost certainly clear waivers. Pavol Regenda is also an option, but with his hot play of late, the Sharks will likely want to wait until they can pass him through waivers unclaimed.