The NHL’s free agent frenzy is long over, with teams now firmly setting their sights on training camps later this month.
But before camps begin, unsigned players have one last chance to try and crack a roster for the 2023-24 season. In the weeks leading up to camp every year, a number of veterans sign professional tryout agreements (also known as PTOs). These agreements often don’t bear any fruit, but teams occasionally strike gold and end up landing a contributor.
Here are all the players who have committed to PTOs thus far:
Zack Kassian, Forward: Kassian has carved out a lengthy NHL career and will try to crack the Ducks’ roster after being bought out by the Arizona Coyotes this offseason. He won’t be expected to score 15 goals like he did twice with the Edmonton Oilers, but he’ll add some grit to a young team.
Danton Heinen, Forward: Heinen began his career with the Bruins, spending his first three-and-a-half seasons with the organization. The 28-year-old played with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2022-23, scoring eight goals and 22 points.
Nicholas Shore, Forward: The 30-year-old has bounced around the NHL over his career, spending time with five different organizations. He last played in the 2019-20 season, splitting the campaign between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Winnipeg Jets.
Cory Conacher, Forward: After battling medical issues, Conacher is hoping to return to the NHL for the 2023-24 season. He has played parts of seven seasons in the NHL, most recently with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2019-20. Conacher logged 17 AHL games with Charlotte and Belleville last season after playing the previous two years in Switzerland.
Brendan Perlini, Forward: The 12th overall pick of the 2014 draft has bounced around over his five years in the NHL, last appearing for the Edmonton Oilers in 2021-22. He has scored 50 goals over his 262 games.
Nathan Beaulieu, Defense: Beaulieu, 30, was a first-round pick of the Montreal Canadiens in 2011 and has played in 471 NHL games over his career. He skated in 52 games for the Ducks last season, recording four assists.
Joel Kiviranta, Forward: The 27-year-old joins the Avalanche after four seasons with the Dallas Stars, in which he scored 16 goals across 163 games. The Finn’s best NHL moment thus far was scoring a Game 7 hat trick to eliminate the Avalanche from the 2020 playoffs.
Stefan Matteau, Forward: Matteau is returning to the Blue Jackets after spending two seasons with the team earlier in his career. He played in Germany’s Deutsche Eishockey Liga last year.
Dallas Stars
Jordie Benn, Defense: The 12-year NHL veteran is still hoping to play and is aiming for a return to the team he broke into the league with. Benn factored into 12 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs last season, recording two points while averaging 15:48 of ice time.
Cameron Hillis, Forward: A third-round pick in 2018, Hillis registered two assists in 18 games with AHL Rockford last season. The 23-year-old also scored 16 goals and 52 points over 48 ECHL contests.
Edmonton Oilers
Brandon Sutter, Forward: Sutter, 34, is set to return to pro hockey for the first time since the 2020-21 season. After contracting COVID-19 during a team outbreak while playing for the Vancouver Canucks, the centerman was forced to step away from the game for the past two campaigns as he battled long COVID symptoms.
Sam Gagner, Forward: Gagner was drafted by the Oilers in 2007 and spent seven years with the team between 2007-14 before rejoining the organization for the 2018-19 and 2019-20 campaigns. Most recently, the veteran forward played 48 games for the Winnipeg Jets last season, totalling eight goals and 14 points.
J-F Berube, Goaltender: Berube only has 40 games of NHL experience under his belt across four seasons but could be a depth piece for the Kings. He spent last year with the Florida Panthers’ AHL team in Charlotte.
Dylan Wells, Goaltender: Wells, 25, made his NHL debut last season for the Chicago Blackhawks and only appeared in one game, coming in for a relief appearance and stopping 12 of 13 shots.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Austin Wagner, Forward: The former fourth-round pick appeared in seven games for the Blackhawks in 2022-23 after spending his first three years with the Kings. He has recorded 23 goals and 19 assists in 178 career games.
Libor Hajek, Defense: Hajek, 25, was a member of the New York Rangers for the past five seasons. He suited up for 16 games in 2022-23, scoring one goal while averaging 13:16 per night.
Mark Pysyk, Defense: Pysyk enters Penguins training camp with 521 NHL games and 104 points to his name. Now 31, the blueliner missed all of last season due to an Achilles injury. His last NHL action came with the Buffalo Sabres in 2021-22, when he scored three goals and added nine assists in 68 games.
Isaac Ratcliffe, Forward: A second-round pick of the Philadelphia Flyers in 2017, Ratcliffe has just 10 games of NHL experience so far in his career. He split last season between the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms and Milwaukee Admirals.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Noah Gregor, Forward: The 25-year-old Gregor spent the previous four seasons with the San Jose Sharks and is coming off a 10-goal, 17-point campaign.
