"Sheldon Souray, once among the NHL's elite power-play defensemen, currently is available at half-price after the Edmonton Oilers placed the 34-year-old on re-entry waivers yesterday. Might the Blue Jackets, who had internal discussions about trading for Souray during training camp, put in a claim by noon Monday? Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson would not comment when reached by The Dispatch, but it's expected that Howson and the club's hockey operations department - along with coach Scott Arniel - will meet today to discuss the possibility of putting in a claim for Souray. Heading into NHL action yesterday, the Jackets were 11th in the waiver order, based on the inverse of the NHL standings. Ottawa, the New York Islanders, New Jersey, Florida, Toronto, Colorado, Atlanta, Buffalo, St. Louis and Carolina were ahead of the Jackets. Souray, 34, has spent the season in the American Hockey League after an offseason spat with the Oilers, who are undergoing a massive rebuilding project. The claiming club would be on the hook for half of Souray's salary the remainder of this season - roughly $700,000 - as well as half his salary next season ($2.25 million). His cap hit would be $2.7 million next season. Edmonton would absorb half of his salary and half of the cap hit. Souray would be an unrestricted free agent after the 2011-12 season. But the issue with Souray seems less about money now and more about his ability to stay healthy and take a regular shift in the NHL. In 2008-09 with the Oilers, his last full season in the NHL because of injuries, he had 23 goals, 12 of them on the power play." Read more: http://www.bluejacketsxtra.com/live...ay-is-available-at-bargain-price.html?sid=101
