The Penguins have placed forward prospect Freddie Tiffels on unconditional waivers for purposes of contract termination. The move was first reported by Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.
Tiffels, 23, was the Penguins' sixth-round draft pick in 2015.
Tiffels was among the first round of camp cuts on Thursday, in a somewhat surprising move. Of the 11 players cut, most were players on AHL-only deals, or players heading back to juniors before the season started. Tiffels was having a strong training camp and seemed destined for his first full AHL season.
Earlier in the year it was reported that Mark Mahon, Director of Sport for Kölner Haie of the German DEL, visited Tiffels in North America this season and had returned to North America to continue negotiating, and perhaps help Tiffels get out of his contract with the Penguins
When I asked Tiffels about the reports in April, he reminded me that he still had one year remaining on his deal with Pittsburgh, and said, “My goal is to play in the NHL. My focus is on achieving that goal.”
The news of Tiffels' contract termination surely means that he is headed to Haie, where he will be reunited with his older brother Dominik.
Tiffels was moved between Wheeling and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 11 times last season, a process he told me was "mentally draining." I asked him about his rookie season last week.
"It wasn’t much fun to go up and down, so I hope I can stay in one spot this year … I want to be the best I can be.”
Apparently that spot will be Germany.
