Report: Bruins sign veteran defenseman to PTO contract originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Bruins had room to invite one more player to 2022 training camp, and it appears they’re doing so.
The Bruins are adding veteran defenseman Anton Stralman on a professional tryout contract, or PTO, 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Ty Anderson reported Thursday.
PTOs aren’t standard NHL contracts, but allow veterans to potentially earn a year-long deal if they have a strong training camp. PTOs also don’t count against a team’s salary cap, so if Stralman doesn’t make the team, the Bruins won’t be on the hook for paying him during the season.
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Stralman played in 74 games for the Arizona Coyotes last season, his 15th in the NHL. The 36-year-old Sweden native tallied 23 points (eight goals, 15 assists) while averaging 21 minutes and 20 seconds of ice time per game.
The Coyotes were Stralman’s sixth NHL team; he began his career with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2007 and had stints with the Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers. Stralman also has faced the Bruins twice in the postseason throughout his career — with the Rangers in 2014 and with the Lightning in 2018.
The Bruins could use some blue-line depth in training camp, as both Charlie McAvoy and Matt Grzelcyk are expected to miss the start of the regular season due to injury. Boston’s first on-ice camp practice is set for Thursday.
