You're quite right - there is a specific case (TBGBL Management releases players on behalf of an absentee owner to maintain a viable roster) where players can't be re-signed.
That is very much not the case here, Hoerner is now a proud, ummm Gaetti.
As per the Garett Anderson rule, a player released after the trade deadline can't be picked up and used during the playoffs....since this was done prior to that, Nico is good...