Flames Claim David Schlemko Off Waivers

Just over 24 hours prior to the trade deadline, and the Calgary Flames have added a body the old-fashioned way: off waivers. The club has reportedly claimed defenseman David Schlemko off waivers from the Dallas Stars.

The move makes sense for the Flames on a bunch of levels. Schlemko is 27, so he’s not green as grass, nor is he on the down-slope of his career necessarily. He’s played with the Phoenix Coyotes in the past, so Brad Treliving is intimately familiar with him. He’s not a tiny guy – 6’1″ and just shy of 200 pounds. He has 50 points in just over 200 NHL contests. He’s an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season, so there’s also no risk involved.

Via War on Ice, a brief rundown of his advanced stats:

If he were right-handed, he’d be perfect as a depth defender.

Schlemko previously played with Kris Russell with the Medicine Hat Tigers back in junior. He was previously claimed off waivers by the Dallas Stars earlier this season, which makes me wonder if the Flames didn’t put in a claim on him at that point, as well.

To make a roster spot for Schlemko, the Flames have placed Mark Giordano on the injured reserve. The earliest he can be activated off the IR is Wednesday, a week past the deadline. It could be he’s being placed on the IR just to give the Flames roster flexibility.