(Photo Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports)

By Andrew Bluestein | Follow Me On Twitter @adbblue

The Boston Bruins placed defenseman Ian Mitchell on waivers Wednesday afternoon. The Bruins acquired the right-shot defenseman in the off-season as part of the Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno trade with the Chicago Blackhawks. 

Mitchell has appeared in just two games this season, recording an assist, and is +1. He hasn’t seen much ice time when in the lineup, playing 9:59 in his first game against the Los Angeles Kings and 11:23 against the Anaheim Ducks. 

The 24-year-old is a $775,000 cap hit, and any team now has 24 hours to claim him. If he does get claimed, that team will have to take on his full salary, and it comes off the Bruins’ books. 

The Bruins can assign him to AHL affiliate Providence if he goes unclaimed. Boston is still trying to sign forward Danton Heinen, who was with the team in the preseason on a PTO. 

Heinen has been skating with the team in the meantime. So perhaps this is a bid to see if anyone will take on Mitchell’s contract to free up more cap room. The Bruins currently have just under $600,000 in cap space, and freeing up that money would certainly help to be able to sign Heinen.