What happened: Goaltender James Reimer was placed on unconditional waivers Saturday for the purpose of terminating his contract. Defenceman Atro Leppanen was also placed on regular waivers on the same transaction wire.

Why it matters: A mutual contract termination releases both sides from the remainder of the deal, allowing the veteran goaltender to enter unrestricted free agency immediately upon clearing. For Leppanen, standard waivers make the blueliner eligible for assignment or available to any claiming club over the 24-hour window.

What to watch: Both players will clear waivers at 2 p.m. ET Sunday if unclaimed, at which point Reimer's contract will be officially terminated.