Brian Gionta, James Wisniewski could be back in NHL after Olympics

AUGSBURG, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 12: Bernhard Ebner of Germany and Brian Gionta of USA battle for the ball during the Deutschland Cup 2017 match between Germany and USA at Curt-Frenzel-Stadion on November 12, 2017 in Augsburg, Germany. (Photo by TF-Images/TF-Images via Getty Images) /

Nobody that has played in the NHL this season is in Pyeongchang, but two members of Team USA may be back in the league shortly after the Olympics.

The NHL made a decision to keep players out of the Winter Olympics in South Korea, though according to some that’s actually good for hockey in the bigger picture. But there are plenty of NHL ties throughout the men’s hockey draw, including on Team USA.

Team USA captain Brian Gionta played all 82 games and tallied 35 points for the Buffalo Sabres last season. He has not played in the league so far this year, but he has been practicing with the AHL’s Rochester Americans, and even at age 39, he can surely offer something to an NHL team down the stretch.

James Wisniewski has only played 14 NHL games since March of 2015, as three ACL tears in his right knee and one in his left knee derailed his career. He has been bouncing around in the KHL, AHL, Switzerland and Germany over the last couple seasons. But he apparently played well in Germany this fall, and as an offensive defenseman with a right-handed shot, NHL teams will surely be watching him closely during the Olympics.

Team USA starts its Olympic run early Wednesday morning (United States time) against Slovenia. According to Stephen Whyno of the Associated Press, the agents for Gionta and Wisniewski are talking to teams, and they both could be back in the NHL once the Olympics are over.

If Gionta and/or Wisniewski showcase themselves well in Pyeongchang, it will be a very quick turnaround to sign with an NHL team. The time between the end of the Winter Olympics and the deadline to be eligible for the playoffs will be roughly 36 hours. But Wisniewski is not concerned about that short time frame.

"“If somebody wanted me, I’m ready to go,” Wisniewski said Monday. “Hopefully I can come out here and have a great Olympics. It’s not like I’m going to be expensive. You don’t have to give up future considerations. I’ve played in the highest level for over a decade and now playing in the Olympics, so it’s not like I haven’t been playing good, competitive hockey."

Next: NHL Trade Deadline: 5 teams who should be buyers

For contending teams that don’t have the draft pick or prospect assets to make a big move before the NHL trade deadline, Gionta and Wisniewski are in line for some interest as fallback options.

Home/NHL