https://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/1615438?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
So Ottawa waives Zack Smith, who obviously goes unclaimed. Instead of actually sending him to the AHL, which would allow them to at least spin this attempted cost-cutting move as a hockey move, they keep him with the NHL club. Actual NHL General Manager Pierre Dorion's comments on the ordeal:
"We knew that if we let the team know we are not going to accept what happened last (season), including how Zack played, that hopefully the message would be passed to the room"