Red Wings put Nunavut’s Jordin Tootoo on waivers

Jordin Tootoo speaks this past July 27 inside Tuqqayaaq Inuuyaq Arena in Clyde River, as part of a promotional tour for the Canadian North airline. (FILE PHOTO)

Jordin Tootoo’s stint with the Detroit Red Wings may be over.

Red Wings’ coach Mike Babcock put Rankin Inlet’s hockey star on waivers Nov. 6.

That means Tootoo, 30, is essentially dropped from the Red Wings’ roster and any National Hockey League team may now take over his contract.

“This is the situation here — we have too many right wingers. We’re not giving him a fair opportunity, he’s done nothing wrong, he’s played hard, he’s been a good teammate,” Babcock told reporters in Detroit.

“We’ll see what happens. If [Tootoo] gets himself a place to play every night that would be fantastic and good for him,” he said.

Babcock would not say if Tootoo’s playing style had anything to do with his being dropped.

“It’s just a numbers game, that’s the reality. I think he’s a good man and a good teammate and a good player,” Babcock said.

Any other NHL team now has 24 hours to claim Tootoo — the deadline being noon, Nov. 7.

Tootoo has two years and $3.8 million left on his contract — $1.9 million per year.

But if no NHL team wants to claim him, Tootoo will be assigned to the Red Wings’ affiliate team in the American Hockey League, the Grand Rapids Griffins.

The Detroit Free Press reported the Red Wings’ have tried to trade Tootoo.

But teams have not been interested in trading anything more than a draft pick for Tootoo, the Free Press reported.

Tootoo has played 50 regular season games with the Red Wings since signing with them for the 2012-13 season.

But he has played only eight games with the Red Wings this season and in just one playoff game with Detroit last season.

Over the past two seasons, Tootoo has only eight points — three goals and five assists.

Tootoo also notched 78 penalty minutes during his stint with Detroit.