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As we enter the final weekend of July, most of the 2017 free-agent crop have found homes for the upcoming season. With time between now and the opening of training camp ticking down, players will begin to scramble and try to lock down a job or even an opportunity to earn one with an invitation to a club’s training camp.
Thus far, only two players have accepted a professional tryout contract. Forward Andrei Loktionov signed with the Los Angeles Kings (who drafted him in 2008) after playing with New Jersey, Carolina and Lokomotiv in the KHL and 35-year-old veteran R.J. Umberger, who played for head coach Ken Hitchcock in Philadelphia and Columbus, signed with the Dallas Stars.
Reports out of Chicago indicate that the Blackhawks may extend an offer to defenseman Cody Franson and based on Niklas Hjalmarsson being dealt to Arizona, the former Leaf sees a good opportunity to get a contract in the Windy City.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have gone down this road in the past. In 2013, Mason Raymond was signed to a PTO just before training camp and earned a spot on the roster with a good preseason performance.
Veterans such as Henrik Tallinder, Curtis Glencross and Devin Setoguchi were given a chance and were released during training camp.
Last summer, winger Brandon Prust came to camp and stayed around Toronto well into the season in hopes of earning a pro deal before finally heading to Nuremberg of the German Hockey League (DEL). Goaltender Karri Ramo signed a PTO when the Leafs backup situation was in flux, but struggled with the AHL Toronto Marlies and suffered an injury.
With Toronto up against the pro contract limit, it is possible that they will explore the tryout route once again, as it is a free look for the Leafs and a chance for the player to not only impress them but other NHL clubs.
As was brought up on the HockeyBuzzcast this week, veterans like Brian Gionta Shane Doan or Jarome Iginla may not go the tryout route to extend their career and could opt to play for the US or Canada at the upcoming Olympics and then sign a contract before the trade deadline.
Toronto is likely to concentrate on signing free agent defensemen, since most of their bottom pairing options going into training camp are young or inexperienced in North America.
Former Ducks defenseman Simon Despres was bought out of the final four years of his contract due to concussion issues and salary cap concerns, but another club could give the 26-year-old a look.
34-year-old Dennis Wideman may scare some teams off because of his involvement in a lawsuit involving NHL linesman Don Henderson, but teams in need of a defenseman may ignore that.
Roman Polak is coming off a one-year, $2.25 Million deal with the Leafs and is on track to return after suffering a broken leg during the playoffs, but no one to this point has bitten on a the rugged blueliner.
Polak is popular in the Leafs locker room, trusted by head coach Mike Babcock and wants to return to Toronto, but it is hard to believe that the 31-year-old would accept a tryout from them. It is possible that the 31-year-old will explore that option with another team if he has not been signed by early September.
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