Oilers place Gryba on waivers for buyout purposes

The Edmonton Oilers have placed Eric Gryba on unconditional waivers for the purpose of buying out the remainder of his contract, the team announced Thursday.

The right-handed defenseman had one year left on a two-year, $1.8-million contract signed last summer. According to CapFriendly.com, the move will save Edmonton $300,000, as only $600,000 of Gryba's final year can be slashed from the club's payroll.

“We just figured that he wouldn’t be in our lineup next year, and (a buyout) would clear up a contract," Oilers general manager Peter Chiarelli told reporters during a media availability in Dallas. "And it would give Eric a chance to pursue his career elsewhere.”

Gryba appeared in 21 games for the Oilers this past season, recording two assists while skating for nearly 15 minutes per night. The six-year veteran was acquired in a June 2015 trade with his original NHL team, the Ottawa Senators.

The 30-year-old posted a farewell video to his official Twitter account shortly after the Oilers went public with the transaction: