Kyle McLaren had 11 points in 61 games last season for the Sharks. Kyle McLaren had 11 points in 61 games last season for the Sharks. (Dave Sandford/Getty Images)

A day after putting him on the waiver wire, the San Jose Sharks sent oft-injured defenceman Kyle McLaren down to their minor-league affiliate Wednesday.

McLaren will have to report to the American Hockey League's Worcester Sharks after no NHL teams claimed the veteran off waivers.

"Kyle is an NHL player," Sharks coach Todd McLellan said. "He has the ability to play for many more years in this league, and it just didn't work out with us for whatever reason."

Assigning the defenceman to the AHL means the Sharks will be able to get under the NHL salary cap for the upcoming season, as McLaren's $2.5 million US salary won't count against the cap.

If McLaren refuses to report to the Worcester Sharks, he could be suspended.

A veteran of 12 NHL seasons — the last five with San Jose — McLaren battled knee injuries last season and underwent surgery in January. Limited to 61 regular season games, he had three goals and eight assists.

McLaren appeared in two pre-season games with the Sharks, who didn't allow him to skate in intrasquad scrimmages while attempting to move him.

McLaren had been facing a diminished role on the revamped San Jose blue-line. Veterans Rob Blake, Dan Boyle and Brad Lukowich were imported from other teams, while holdovers Christian Ehrhoff, Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Doug Murray received contract extensions.

In 719 NHL games with San Jose and Boston, McLaren has 207 points (46 goals). He has never registered more than 25 points in a season, and he's never played more than 77 contests.