The Philadelphia Flyers placed defenceman Andrew MacDonald on waivers on Monday, kicking off a busy moving day with the most expensive player on the wire this preseason.

MacDonald, 29, still has five years and $23.75 million owed to him by the Flyers.

Vancouver also waived Linden Vey, Alex Biega and Frank Corrado to make room for three rookies on the opening night roster: forwards Jake Virtanen, Jared McCann and defenceman Ben Hutton.

Vey, 24, struggled in training camp. He posted 24 points in 75 games last year for the Canucks after arriving in a 2014 trade from Los Angeles, and finished sixth on the team in power-play time (140:11). He played for Canucks coach Willie Desjardins in Medicine Hat, making the move at least somewhat surprising.

The Oilers also reduced their roster by sending 19-year-old Leon Draisaitl to AHL Bakersfield. Draisaitl does not require waivers.

Other intriguing names to hit Monday’s waiver wire included Montreal goaltender Dustin Tokarski, Winnipeg defenceman Jay Harrison, Calgary winger Mason Raymond, Florida defenceman Dylan Olsen, Boston centre Max Talbot and Los Angeles goaltender J-F Berube.

All waiver claims must be submitted before 12 noon E.T. on Tuesday. All players on waivers on Sunday, including last year’s AHL No. 2 scorer Andy Miele (Detroit), went unclaimed.

Teams must submit a salary cap compliant opening night roster to the league by Tuesday at 5 p.m. E.T.

Flyers general manager Ron Hextall said the team’s intent is to send MacDonald to the AHL, where MacDonald’s salary will be higher than the rest of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms’ roster combined. The Flyers would still carry $4.05 million in dead space on their salary cap with MacDonald in the minors.

“Shocked,” is how Hextall described MacDonald’s reaction to reporters. “But he’s a pro.”

The Judique, N.S., native ended Dave Hakstol’s first training camp on the outside of the top six, skating as an extra with defenceman Luke Schenn. Schenn, 25, was much more likely to be claimed, entering the final year of his deal at $3.6 million.

The Flyers are instead expected to dress defencemen Radko Gudas and Brandon Manning for Thursday’s season opener in Tampa Bay. 

MacDonald posted a career-low 12 points last year for a full season of work. After finishing in the top five in the NHL in blocked shots for four straight seasons on Long Island, he blocked a career-low 86 shots last year, but still played north of 20 minutes per night.

MacDonald was signed to a six-year, $30-million contract by then-Flyers GM Paul Holmgren just weeks after being acquired from the Islanders at the 2014 trade deadline. His is one of a handful of tough contracts to handcuff the Flyers, including Vinny Lecavalier (three years, $10.5 million remaining), R.J. Umberger (two years, $9 million) and Matt Read (three years, $11.5 million).

Even without MacDonald on the roster, the Flyers could still have $11.3 million on the salary cap in healthy scratches for the season opener, including Lecavalier ($4.5M), Schenn ($3.6M) and Sam Gagner ($3.2M). All three practised as extras on Monday.

Monday’s waiver list:

D Andrew MacDonald (PHI): 29 years old, 5 years, $23.75 million remaining.

RW Linden Vey (VAN): 24 years old, 1 year, $1 million.

LW Mason Raymond (CGY): 30 years old, 2 years, $3.3 million.

*D Jay Harrison (WPG): 32 years old, 2 years, $3 million.

G Dustin Tokarski (MTL): 26 years old, 1 year, $575,000.

G Justin Peters (CAR): 29 years old, 1 year, $950,000.

D Dylan Olsen (FLA): 24 years old, 2 years, $1.5 million.

G J-F Berube (LAK): 24 years old, 2 years, $1.125 million.

C Max Talbot (BOS): 31 years old, 1 year, $1 million.

C Paul Byron (CGY): 26 years old, 1 year, $900,000.

D Tim Erixon (PIT): 24 years old, 1 year, $600,000.

D Mark Barberio (MTL): 25 years old, 1 year, $600,000.

D Frank Corrado (VAN): 22 years old, 1 year, $632,500.

D Jamie McBain (LAK): 27 years old, 1 year, $600,000.

D Alex Biega (VAN): 27 years old, 1 year, $600,000.

RW Matt Frattin (TOR): 27 years old, 1 year, $850,000.

D T.J. Brennan (TOR): 26 years old, 1 year, $675,000.

D Andrew Campbell (TOR): 27 years old, 2 years, $1.15 million.

C Sam Carrick (TOR): 23 years old, 1 year, $600,000.

Other players on the wire include: Jamie Devane (NSH), Byron Froese (TOR), Garrett Wilson (FLA), Aaron Ness (WSH), Ryan Stanton (WSH), Louis Leblanc (NYI), Jonathan Audy-Marchessault (TBL), Michael Angelidis (TBL), Vincent Loverde (LAK).

* denotes Hurricanes retain 30 per cent of Harrison’s salary.

All salaries are listed as NHL salary, not necessarily salary cap hit. Source: generalfanager.com

Frank Seravalli can be reached at frank.seravalli@bellmedia.ca.