EDMONTON - Sheldon Souray’s exile in the American League may be coming to an end.

The Edmonton Oilers put the defenceman who is on loan to the Hershey Bears on re-entry waivers Saturday morning even though the management didn’t get a call from another general manager saying they would claim him if he was on re-entry. So they’re taking a chance that teams, always in a mad search for blue-line help in playoff races, will take a flier on Souray. And it’s a tactical move by the Oilers putting Souray on waivers on the weekend because teams have 48 hours not 24 to decide as it is on weekday situations, which means there’ll be no decision until Monday morning.

Nobody has phoned Steve Tambellini to say they’re gung-ho. If he was a rental and his contract was up on July 1 he would be gone by now, but he has next year’s $4.5-million salary too.

“Speaking to so many managers over the last few weeks, I realize how many teams are looking for defencemen … this is the right time to do it and it’s an opportunity for somebody else, and for Sheldon,” said Oilers GM Steve Tambellini.

He doesn’t have a clear read on whether there is a suitor out there.

“I really don’t know,” said Tambellini, who wouldn’t put a percentage on whether he’d be claimed or be kept waiting, but putting him on waivers on Saturday is a strategic move.

“There are so many balls in the air with every team and every manager and you need time to to sort things out and make a plan.”

If a team does claim Souray, the Oilers are on the hook for half his remaining salary and cap hit with the other team picking up the rest. His salary next season on the final year of his five-year contract is $4.5 million US, but his cap hit is $5.4 million US. The Oilers would also pay half of whatever he’s owed this season with about 20 games left.

If no NHL team signs Souray the Oilers will likely buy out his contract this summer, leaving the club to pay two-thirds of the final year of his contract over the next two seasons.

The New York Rangers were sniffing around a couple of weeks ago but cooled after watching Souray play for Hershey, the Washington Capitals’ American Hockey League farm club.

It’s not known who else might be interested, although the Dallas Stars are in free-fall in the West. They once led the Pacific Division and were the No. 3 seed, now they are in danger of not making the playoffs. Sources indicate the Stars, who don’t have a lot of money to play with, are leery of paying him next year, too. They are in the process of trying to find another owner and have a tight budget. They had to scramble to pick up Jamie Langenbrunner from New Jersey weeks back and he may have been their only salary addition allowed.

Souray didn’t immediately respond to a Journal text message, but Darren Millard at SportsNet did get one back.

“I hope I get claimed. I know I can still play and help someone. We’ll see,” he told Millard.

While Tambellini will get a decision on Souray, he has lots of chess pieces in play. Does he trade Hemsky, who had three points Saturday to give him nine in his last five games for at least a first-rounder and ­other assets? It’s no secret how much Columbus Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson likes Hemsky.

Does Tambellini move Penner, who had a poor game against the Atlanta Thrashers on Saturday? Two Toronto Maple Leafs scouts were at the game and they also scouted the Montreal Canadiens’ loss to the Oilers on Thursday. Does Brian Burke want Penner back after refusing to match the Oilers’ Group 2 free-agent offer in 2007?

Lots of teams are sniffing around defenceman Ladislav Smid, too. Nashville has scouted the last two games and their blue-line is in flux with Francis Boullion out with a concussion. They traded with the Oilers last year, giving up defenceman Denis Grebeshkov for a second-round draft pick.

ON THE BENCH: The Oilers benched Linus Omark for all but three shifts in the third period, playing Ryan Jones on the third line. Not a good sign for Omark, especially with Gilbert Brule ready to play and somebody having to go down to the minors when they head to Minnesota on Monday. Omark, who has been getting considerable interest from other teams, doesn’t have to clear waivers. Liam Reddox, who’s done a nice job as the fourth line centre the last three games with Colin Fraser sitting, does have to clear, as does big Steve MacIntyre. Fraser has sat for four of the last nine games, too. Where does he fit?

jmatheson@edmontonjournal.com